Trauger R, Lewis D, Giermakowska W, Wallace M, Beecham J, Burnett K, Jensen F, Carlo D, Salk J; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1991 Jun 16-21; 7: 143 (abstract no. W.A.1205).

The Immune Response Corporation, Carlsbad, CA

OBJECTIVE: Assess cell mediated immunity to HIV and tetanus in WR1-6 individuals as it compares to either clinical staging or virus burden. METHODS: CMI to a gp120 depleted HIV (HIV ag) and tetanus toxoid was assessed in a blinded patient group (n=79) representing WR1-6. At the same time, patients' viral load was quantitatively measured by virus isolation (VI) and copy number of HIV DNA as measured by PCR. RESULTS: After unblinding it was determined that the ability to generate a lymphoproliferative response to HIV and tetanus diminished with WR staging. As a group, the individuals who showed CMI to HIV ag were either VI negative or produced low levels of p24 (less than 250pg on day 7). Similarly, HIV DNA copy number/5x10(4) PBMCs ranged from less than 200 copies to below detection in the HIV ag responders. However, a few individuals showed low viral burden by both assays without CMI to HIV ag. Such correlation between virus load and tetanus toxoid CMI was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: 1) HIV antigen stimulation is observed less frequently as HIV infection progresses as defined by the WR staging system. 2) the HIV ag responders demonstrate low viral load as measured by two quantitative independent assays of viral burden and 3) the progressive loss of CMI to HIV ag in the HIV infected individual may be related to the increasing virus burden over time.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• AIDS Vaccines
• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• HIV Antigens
• HIV Envelope Protein gp120
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• HIV-1
• HIV-2
• Humans
• Immunity, Cellular
• Proviruses
• Tetanus Toxoid
• Viral Load
• Viruses
• immunology

Other ID:

• 3120591

UI: 102192411

From Meeting Abstracts