HIV-1-Specific CD4 helper function in persons with chronic HIV-1 infection on antiviral drug therapy as measured by ELISPOT after treatment with an inactivated, gp120-depleted HIV-1 in incomplete Freund's adjuvant

• Published in: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) Vol. 24; no. 3; p. 264
• Main Authors: Moss, R B, Webb, E, Giermakowska, W K, Jensen, F C, Savary, J R, Wallace, M R, Carlo, D J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2000
• Subjects: AIDS Vaccines - therapeutic use; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Chronic Disease; Freund's Adjuvant - therapeutic use; HIV Core Protein p24 - pharmacology; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV Seropositivity - drug therapy; HIV-1; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Interferon-gamma - analysis; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1525-4135
• DOI: 10.1097/00042560-200007010-00012

We hypothesized that treatment of HIV-1-seropositive study subjects receiving potent antiviral therapy with an HIV-specific immune-based therapy would increase HIV-1-specific T-helper immune function. 10 HIV-1-seropositive study subjects receiving antiretroviral therapy were treated with an inactivated, gp120-depleted immunogen in IFA (HIV-1 immunogen, Remune) at baseline, week 12, and week 24. The frequency of HIV-1 antigen-stimulated interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing cells was determined by the ELISPOT assay. Study subjects significantly increased their frequency of HIV-1-stimulated (p <. 001) or p24 antigen-stimulated (p <.01) IFN-gamma-producing cells after one, two, and three treatments of HIV-1 immunogen. Depletion of CD4 cells resulted in the strongest abrogation of the IFN-gamma response. The frequency of HIV-1 (r = 0.64; p =.0002) and p24 (r = 0. 72; p <.001) antigen-stimulated IFN-gamma-producing cells in the CD8-depleted population before and after treatment was associated with the lymphocyte-proliferative response. Treatment with HIV-1 immunogen significantly enhanced the frequency of HIV-1-specific IFN-gamma-producing cells. Studies are ongoing to determine the relationship between this reversal of HIV-specific anergy and virologic outcomes.