This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kolber, M. A. Articles by Saenz, M. O. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kolber, M. A. Articles by Saenz, M. O.

Antigen-Presenting Cell Modulation Induces a Memory Response to p24 in Peripheral Blood Leukocytes from Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida

Received 21 February 2003/ Returned for modification 25 April 2003/ Accepted 27 May 2003

The accurate determination of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific proliferative responses is critically important when evaluating immune recovery after highly active antiretroviral therapy. Using a new assay to enhance proliferative responses to recall and HIV antigen, we addressed the questions of whether viral load affects cellular immunity and whether long-term viral load suppression results in loss of antigen-specific responder cells. This assay is based on the fact that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can augment proliferative responses to antigen after monocyte adherence to a tissue culture plate. Twenty-six HIV-1-infected individuals donated peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL). Proliferation assays against p24, using LPS and cell adherence, were performed on all samples. Medical record abstraction provided information on CD4 cell nadir and time of viral load suppression. PBL from HIV-1-infected individuals with a viral load of <200 copies/ml had a significant proliferative response and a stimulation index of >5 to p24 (12 of 15) compared to those with a viral burden (2 of 11), using the LPS-adherence assay. Proliferative responses to p24 could be found in PBL from virally suppressed donors independent of the CD4 cell nadirs and in the majority of the donors who were virally suppressed for >10 months (7 of 10). The data presented here demonstrate that LPS and monocyte adherence provide a sensitive and specific way to boost proliferative responses to recall and HIV antigens.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kolber, M. A., Saenz, M. O., Kaul, S. (2005). Memory Responses in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Individuals with Long-Term Viral Load Suppression Are Independent of CD4 Cell Nadir. CVI 12: 76-80 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kolber, M. A. (2004). Impact of Immune Plasticity on Development of Cellular Memory Responses to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1. CVI 11: 1002-1007 [Full Text]