Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific T helper responses fail to predict CD4⁺ T cell decline following short-course treatment at primary HIV-1 infection

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology 2008-06, Vol.152 (3), p.532-537
• Main Authors: Fox, J, Scriba, T.J, Robinson, N, Weber, J.N, Phillips, R.E, Fidler, Sarah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Anti-HIV Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Drug Administration Schedule; Follow-Up Studies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - immunology; HIV-1 - isolation & purification; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; primary HIV infection; Prospective Studies; short-course anti-retroviral therapy; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; Translational Studies; Treatment Outcome; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral Load
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03653.x

Early anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (PHI) may have unique, restorative immunological and virological benefits which could enhance clinical outcomes. However, the sustainability of these HIV-specific immune responses and their impact on clinical outcome remains unclear. We present a 3-year longitudinal clinical and immunological follow-up of a single-arm, prospective study assessing the long-term impact of a short-course of ART (SCART) during PHI. Twenty-eight subjects with defined PHI received 3 months of SCART at HIV-1 seroconversion. HIV-specific interferon-γ⁺ CD4⁺ T cell responses, CD4 cell counts and plasma viral loads were assessed prospectively. Clinical outcome was defined as the time taken from PHI to a fall in CD4 cell counts 3 years) preservation of virus-specific CD4⁺ cells occurred in 45% of patients receiving SCART in PHI. There was no correlation between either the presence or magnitude of these responses and clinical outcome.