scholarly journals Association between Virus-Specific T-Cell Responses and Plasma Viral Load in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Subtype C Infection

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 882-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Novitsky ◽  
P. Gilbert ◽  
T. Peter ◽  
M. F. McLane ◽  
S. Gaolekwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Plasma Viral Load ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Subtype C ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
T Cell Immune Responses

ABSTRACT Virus-specific T-cell immune responses are important in restraint of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication and control of disease. Plasma viral load is a key determinant of disease progression and infectiousness in HIV infection. Although HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C) is the predominant virus in the AIDS epidemic worldwide, the relationship between HIV-1C-specific T-cell immune responses and plasma viral load has not been elucidated. In the present study we address (i) the association between the level of plasma viral load and virus-specific immune responses to different HIV-1C proteins and their subregions and (ii) the specifics of correlation between plasma viral load and T-cell responses within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I HLA supertypes. Virus-specific immune responses in the natural course of HIV-1C infection were analyzed in the gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-enzyme-linked immunospot assay by using synthetic overlapping peptides corresponding to the HIV-1C consensus sequence. For Gag p24, a correlation was seen between better T-cell responses and lower plasma viral load. For Nef, an opposite trend was observed where a higher T-cell response was more likely to be associated with a higher viral load. At the level of the HLA supertypes, a lower viral load was associated with higher T-cell responses to Gag p24 within the HLA A2, A24, B27, and B58 supertypes, in contrast to the absence of such a correlation within the HLA B44 supertype. The present study demonstrated differential correlations (or trends to correlation) in various HIV-1C proteins, suggesting (i) an important role of the HIV-1C Gag p24-specific immune responses in control of viremia and (ii) more rapid viral escape from immune responses to Nef with no restraint of plasma viral load. Correlations between the level of IFN-γ-secreting T cells and viral load within the MHC class I HLA supertypes should be considered in HIV vaccine design and efficacy trials.

scholarly journals Hierarchical Targeting of Subtype C Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Proteins by CD8+ T Cells: Correlation with Viral Load

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 3233-3243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agatha Masemola ◽  
Tumelo Mashishi ◽  
Greg Khoury ◽  
Phineas Mohube ◽  
Pauline Mokgotho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Subtype C ◽  
Viral Control ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT An understanding of the relationship between the breadth and magnitude of T-cell epitope responses and viral loads is important for the design of effective vaccines. For this study, we screened a cohort of 46 subtype C human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals for T-cell responses against a panel of peptides corresponding to the complete subtype C genome. We used a gamma interferon ELISPOT assay to explore the hypothesis that patterns of T-cell responses across the expressed HIV-1 genome correlate with viral control. The estimated median time from seroconversion to response for the cohort was 13 months, and the order of cumulative T-cell responses against HIV proteins was as follows: Nef > Gag > Pol > Env > Vif > Rev > Vpr > Tat > Vpu. Nef was the most intensely targeted protein, with 97.5% of the epitopes being clustered within 119 amino acids, constituting almost one-third of the responses across the expressed genome. The second most targeted region was p24, comprising 17% of the responses. There was no correlation between viral load and the breadth of responses, but there was a weak positive correlation (r = 0.297; P = 0.034) between viral load and the total magnitude of responses, implying that the magnitude of T-cell recognition did not contribute to viral control. When hierarchical patterns of recognition were correlated with the viral load, preferential targeting of Gag was significantly (r = 0.445; P = 0.0025) associated with viral control. These data suggest that preferential targeting of Gag epitopes, rather than the breadth or magnitude of the response across the genome, may be an important marker of immune efficacy. These data have significance for the design of vaccines and for interpretation of vaccine-induced responses.

scholarly journals Differential CD4+ versus CD8+ T-Cell Responses Elicited by Different Poxvirus-Based Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vaccine Candidates Provide Comparable Efficacies in Primates

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 2975-2988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Mooij ◽  
Sunita S. Balla-Jhagjhoorsingh ◽  
Gerrit Koopman ◽  
Niels Beenhakker ◽  
Patricia van Haaften ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Vaccine Candidates ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Poxvirus vectors have proven to be highly effective for boosting immune responses in diverse vaccine settings. Recent reports reveal marked differences in the gene expression of human dendritic cells infected with two leading poxvirus-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine candidates, New York vaccinia virus (NYVAC) and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA). To understand how complex genomic changes in these two vaccine vectors translate into antigen-specific systemic immune responses, we undertook a head-to-head vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy study in the pathogenic HIV type 1 (HIV-1) model of AIDS in Indian rhesus macaques. Differences in the immune responses in outbred animals were not distinguished by enzyme-linked immunospot assays, but differences were distinguished by multiparameter fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis, revealing a difference between the number of animals with both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses to vaccine inserts (MVA) and those that elicit a dominant CD4+ T-cell response (NYVAC). Remarkably, vector-induced differences in CD4+/CD8+ T-cell immune responses persisted for more than a year after challenge and even accompanied antigenic modulation throughout the control of chronic infection. Importantly, strong preexposure HIV-1/simian immunodeficiency virus-specific CD4+ T-cell responses did not prove deleterious with respect to accelerated disease progression. In contrast, in this setting, animals with strong vaccine-induced polyfunctional CD4+ T-cell responses showed efficacies similar to those with stronger CD8+ T-cell responses.

scholarly journals Magnitude of Functional CD8+ T-Cell Responses to the Gag Protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Correlates Inversely with Viral Load in Plasma

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 2298-2305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley H. Edwards ◽  
Anju Bansal ◽  
Steffanie Sabbaj ◽  
Janna Bakari ◽  
Mark J. Mulligan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The importance of CD8+ T-cell responses in the control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has been demonstrated, yet few studies have been able to correlate these responses with markers of HIV-1 disease progression. This study measured cell-mediated immune responses using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from 27 patients with chronic HIV-1 infection, the majority of whom were off antiretroviral therapy. The ELISPOT assay was used to detect gamma interferon-secreting PBMC after stimulation with overlapping HIV-1 peptides spanning the Gag, Pol, Env, and Nef proteins in addition to the baculovirus-derived p24 and gp160 proteins. All volunteers had responses to at least one HIV-1-specific peptide. All but one of the subjects (96%) responded to the Gag peptide pool, and 86% responded to the Pol and/or Nef peptide pools. The magnitude and the breadth of T-cell responses directed to either the Gag or p24 peptide pools correlated inversely with viral load in plasma (r = −0.60, P < 0.001 and r = −0.52, P < 0.005, respectively) and directly with absolute CD4+ T-cell counts (r = 0.54, P < 0.01 and r = 0.39, P < 0.05, respectively) using the Spearman rank correlation test. Responses to the Pol and integrase peptide pools also correlated with absolute CD4+ T-cell counts (r = 0.45, P < 0.05 and r = 0.49, P < 0.01, respectively). No correlation with markers of disease progression was seen with specific T-cell responses directed toward the Env or Nef peptides. These data serve as strong evidence that major histocompatibility complex class I presentation of Gag peptides is an essential feature for any HIV-1 vaccine designed to elicit optimal CD8+ T-cell responses.

scholarly journals Comparative Immunogenicity in Rhesus Monkeys of DNA Plasmid, Recombinant Vaccinia Virus, and Replication-Defective Adenovirus Vectors Expressing a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gag Gene

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
pp. 6305-6313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo R. Casimiro ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
Tong-Ming Fu ◽  
Robert K. Evans ◽  
Michael J. Caulfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Adenovirus Vector ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Replication Defective Adenovirus

ABSTRACT Cellular immune responses, particularly those associated with CD3+ CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), play a primary role in controlling viral infection, including persistent infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Accordingly, recent HIV-1 vaccine research efforts have focused on establishing the optimal means of eliciting such antiviral CTL immune responses. We evaluated several DNA vaccine formulations, a modified vaccinia virus Ankara vector, and a replication-defective adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) vector, each expressing the same codon-optimized HIV-1 gag gene for immunogenicity in rhesus monkeys. The DNA vaccines were formulated with and without one of two chemical adjuvants (aluminum phosphate and CRL1005). The Ad5-gag vector was the most effective in eliciting anti-Gag CTL. The vaccine produced both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, with the latter consistently being the dominant component. To determine the effect of existing antiadenovirus immunity on Ad5-gag-induced immune responses, monkeys were exposed to adenovirus subtype 5 that did not encode antigen prior to immunization with Ad5-gag. The resulting anti-Gag T-cell responses were attenuated but not abolished. Regimens that involved priming with different DNA vaccine formulations followed by boosting with the adenovirus vector were also compared. Of the formulations tested, the DNA-CRL1005 vaccine primed T-cell responses most effectively and provided the best overall immune responses after boosting with Ad5-gag. These results are suggestive of an immunization strategy for humans that are centered on use of the adenovirus vector and in which existing adenovirus immunity may be overcome by combined immunization with adjuvanted DNA and adenovirus vector boosting.

scholarly journals Low Immune Activation despite High Levels of Pathogenic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Results in Long-Term Asymptomatic Disease

2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (16) ◽  
pp. 8838-8842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shailesh K. Choudhary ◽  
Nienke Vrisekoop ◽  
Christine A. Jansen ◽  
Sigrid A. Otto ◽  
Hanneke Schuitemaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Activation ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

ABSTRACT Long-term asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals (LTA) usually have low viral load and low immune activation. To discern whether viral load or immune activation is dominant in determining progression to AIDS, we studied three exceptional LTA with high viral loads. HIV type 1 isolates from these LTA were as pathogenic as viruses from progressors in organ culture. Despite high viral loads, these LTA had low levels of proliferating and activated T cells compared to progressors, like other LTA. In contrast to those in progressors, HIV-specific CD4+ T-cell responses in these LTA were maintained. Thus, low immune activation despite a high viral load preserved HIV-specific T-cell responses and resulted in a long-term asymptomatic phenotype.

scholarly journals Expression of CD40L by the ALVAC-Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Vector Abrogates T Cell Responses in Macaques

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabela Silva de Castro ◽  
Shari N. Gordon ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Massimiliano Bissa ◽  
Katherine McKinnon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Envelope Protein ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Humoral Responses ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Immunization with recombinant ALVAC/gp120 alum vaccine provided modest protection from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) acquisition in humans and macaques. Vaccine-mediated protection was associated with the elicitation of IgG against the envelope V2 loop and of envelope-specific CD4+ T cell responses. We hypothesized that the simultaneous expression of the costimulatory molecule CD40L (CD154) by the ALVAC-HIV vector could increase both protective humoral and cellular responses. We engineered an ALVAC-SIV coexpressing CD40L with SIVmac251 (ALVAC-SIV/CD40L) gag, pol, and env genes. We compared its immunogenicity in macaques with that of a canonical ALVAC-SIV, with both given as a vector-prime/gp120 in alum boost strategy. The ALVAC-SIV/CD40L was superior to the ALVAC-SIV regimen in inducing binding and tier 1 neutralizing antibodies against the gp120. The increase in humoral responses was associated with the expression of the membrane-bound form of the CD40L by CD4+ T cells in lymph nodes. Unexpectedly, the ALVAC-SIV/CD40L vector had a blunting effect on CD4+ Th1 helper responses and instead favored the induction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, the immune-suppressive interleukin-10 (IL-10) cytokine, and the down-modulatory tryptophan catabolism. Ultimately, this strategy failed to protect macaques from SIV acquisition. Taken together, these results underlie the importance of balanced vaccine-induced activating versus suppressive immune responses in affording protection from HIV. IMPORTANCE CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction is crucial for inducing effective cytotoxic and humoral responses against pathogens. Because of its immunomodulatory function, CD40L has been used to enhance immune responses to vaccines, including candidate vaccines for HIV. The only successful vaccine ever tested in humans utilized a strategy combining canarypox virus-based vector (ALVAC) together with an envelope protein (gp120) adjuvanted in alum. This strategy showed limited efficacy in preventing HIV-1/SIV acquisition in humans and macaques. In both species, protection was associated with vaccine-induced antibodies against the HIV envelope and CD4+ T cell responses, including type 1 antiviral responses. In this study, we tested whether augmenting CD40L expression by coexpressing it with the ALVAC vector could increase the protective immune responses. Although coexpression of CD40L did increase humoral responses, it blunted type 1 CD4+ T cell responses against the SIV envelope protein and failed to protect macaques from viral infection.

scholarly journals Proliferative Capacity of Epitope-Specific CD8 T-Cell Responses Is Inversely Related to Viral Load in Chronic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection

2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 434-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl L. Day ◽  
Photini Kiepiela ◽  
Alasdair J. Leslie ◽  
Mary van der Stok ◽  
Kriebashne Nair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
T Cell Epitopes ◽  
Viral Control ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

ABSTRACT The relationship between the function of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific CD8 T-cell responses and viral load has not been defined. In this study, we used a panel of major histocompatibility complex class I tetramers to examine responses to frequently targeted CD8 T-cell epitopes in a large cohort of antiretroviral-therapy-naïve HIV type 1 clade C virus-infected persons in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. In terms of effector functions of proliferation, cytokine production, and degranulation, only proliferation showed a significant correlation with viral load. This robust inverse relationship provides an important functional correlate of viral control relevant to both vaccine design and evaluation.

scholarly journals Cross-Subtype T-Cell Immune Responses Induced by a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Group M Consensus Env Immunogen

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (14) ◽  
pp. 6745-6756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Weaver ◽  
Zhongjing Lu ◽  
Zenaido T. Camacho ◽  
Fatiha Moukdar ◽  
Hua-Xin Liao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Subtype A ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The genetic diversity among globally circulating human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains is a serious challenge for HIV-1 vaccine design. We have generated a synthetic group M consensus env gene (CON6) for induction of cross-subtype immune responses and report here a comparative study of T-cell responses to this and natural strain env immunogens in a murine model. Three different strains of mice were immunized with CON6 as well as subtype A, B, or C env immunogens, using a DNA prime-recombinant vaccinia virus boost strategy. T-cell epitopes were mapped by gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot analysis using five overlapping Env peptide sets from heterologous subtype A, B, and C viruses. The CON6-derived vaccine was immunogenic and induced a greater number of T-cell epitope responses than any single wild-type subtype A, B, and C env immunogen and similar T-cell responses to a polyvalent vaccine. The responses were comparable to within-clade responses but significantly more than between-clade responses. The magnitude of the T-cell responses induced by CON6 (measured by individual epitope peptides) was also greater than the magnitude of responses induced by individual wild-type env immunogens. Though the limited major histocompatibility complex repertoire in inbred mice does not necessarily predict responses in nonhuman primates and humans, these results suggest that synthetic centralized env immunogens represent a promising approach for HIV-1 vaccine design that merits further characterization.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Epitope Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)-Specific T-Cell Responses Directed against the Entire Expressed HIV-1 Genome Demonstrate Broadly Directed Responses, but No Correlation to Viral Load

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 2081-2092 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Addo ◽  
X. G. Yu ◽  
A. Rathod ◽  
D. Cohen ◽  
R. L. Eldridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
T Cell Responses ◽  
Protein Subunits ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Cellular Immune Responses ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Total Magnitude ◽  
Cellular Immune ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Cellular immune responses play a critical role in the control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1); however, the breadth of these responses at the single-epitope level has not been comprehensively assessed. We therefore screened peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 57 individuals at different stages of HIV-1 infection for virus-specific T-cell responses using a matrix of 504 overlapping peptides spanning all expressed HIV-1 proteins in a gamma interferon-enzyme-linked immunospot (Elispot) assay. HIV-1-specific T-cell responses were detectable in all study subjects, with a median of 14 individual epitopic regions targeted per person (range, 2 to 42), and all 14 HIV-1 protein subunits were recognized. HIV-1 p24-Gag and Nef contained the highest epitope density and were also the most frequently recognized HIV-1 proteins. The total magnitude of the HIV-1-specific response ranged from 280 to 25,860 spot-forming cells (SFC)/106 PBMC (median, 4,245) among all study participants. However, the number of epitopic regions targeted, the protein subunits recognized, and the total magnitude of HIV-1-specific responses varied significantly among the tested individuals, with the strongest and broadest responses detectable in individuals with untreated chronic HIV-1 infection. Neither the breadth nor the magnitude of the total HIV-1-specific CD8+-T-cell responses correlated with plasma viral load. We conclude that a peptide matrix-based Elispot assay allows for rapid, sensitive, specific, and efficient assessment of cellular immune responses directed against the entire expressed HIV-1 genome. These data also suggest that the impact of T-cell responses on control of viral replication cannot be explained by the mere quantification of the magnitude and breadth of the CD8+-T-cell response, even if a comprehensive pan-genome screening approach is applied.

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