Patterns of in vitro anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibody production in long-term nonprogressors

• Published in: Clinical immunology and immunopathology Vol. 85; no. 3; pp. 320 - 323
• Main Authors: RUSCONI, S, BERLUSCONI, A, PAPAGNO, L, COLOMBO, M. C, DE MADDALENA, C, RIVA, A, BAGNARELLI, P, BALOTTA, C, GALLI, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Academic Press 01.12.1997; New York, NY; Boston
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - blood; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - immunology; Adult; AIDS/HIV; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Disease Progression; Female; HIV Antibodies - blood; HIV Antibodies - immunology; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 - blood; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 - immunology; HIV Seropositivity - immunology; HIV-1 - immunology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Sialoglycoproteins - blood; Sialoglycoproteins - immunology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Human; Immunoprotection; Immunopathology; Immune response; HIV-1 virus; Retroviridae; AIDS; Asymptomatic; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; In vitro; Long term; Infection; Virus; Viral disease; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humoral immunity
• ISSN: 0090-1229; 1090-2341
• DOI: 10.1006/clin.1997.4470

With the aim of evaluating the specific pattern of in vitro antibody production (IVAP) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected long-term non-progressors (LTNPs), we tested 20 subjects who had remained asymptomatic for more than 8 years with a CD4+ cell count higher than 500/microliter and 59 patients at different stages of HIV-1 infection as controls. In cell cultures, IVAP was detected in 14 out of 20 LTNPs (70%), in 5 out of 6 recent seroconverters (83%), and in all the other control patients. Anti-p24 antibody production was significantly lower in LTNPs than in asymptomatic patients with a more recent infection. Recent seroconverters and patients with AIDS did not produce anti-p24 antibodies (P = 0.02). Anti-gp160 antibodies were produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from LTNPs in 12/20 cases. CD4+ cell count was significantly higher in IVAP-negative than in IVAP-positive LTNPs (P = 0.013), while the viral load was not significantly different. Specific anti-HIV-1 antibody production did not seem to be a correlate of long-term nonprogression.