Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Gag-Specific CD4 + T-Cell Frequency Is Inversely Correlated with Proviral Load and Directly Correlated with Immune Activation in Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 (HIV-2) but Not HIV-1

2008; American Society for Microbiology; Volume: 82; Issue: 19 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1128/jvi.01217-08

1098-5514

Russell B. Foxall, Catarina S. Cortesão, Adriana S. Albuquerque, Rui S. Soares, Rui M. M. Victorino, Ana E. Sousa,

T-cell and B-cell Immunology

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection, unlike HIV-1 infection, is normally characterized by low rates of CD4 depletion and low-to-undetectable viremia. We found that the frequency of Gag-specific CD4(+) T cells featured positive correlations with the expression of markers of CD4 activation and a negative correlation with peripheral blood mononuclear cell-associated proviral load in infection with HIV-2, in contrast with HIV-1. Moreover, HIV-2-infected individuals exhibited a greater ability to respond to HIV-1 Gag peptides (heterologous responses). Our data suggest a potential link between HIV-2-specific CD4 responses, immune activation, and viral control, which may in turn relate to the better prognosis associated with HIV-2 infection.