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Characterization of CD8 + T‐cell responses in HIV‐1‐exposed seronegative commercial sex workers from Nairobi, Kenya
Author(s) -
Alimonti Judie B,
Kimani Joshua,
Matu Lucy,
Wachihi Charles,
Kaul Rupert,
Plummer Francis A,
Fowke Keith R
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1711.2006.01455.x
Subject(s) - cd8 , cytotoxic t cell , immunology , immune system , hiv vaccine , population , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , lentivirus , virology , medicine , cohort , biology , viral disease , environmental health , in vitro , genetics , vaccine trial
CD8 + T‐lymphocyte responses are crucial to the control of HIV‐1; therefore, studying the CD8 + immune response in a naturally resistant population could provide valuable insights into an effective anti‐HIV response in healthy uninfected individuals. Approximately 5–10% of the women in the Pumwani Commercial Sex Worker cohort in Nairobi, Kenya, have been highly exposed to HIV‐1 yet remain HIV‐IgG‐seronegative and HIV‐PCR negative (HIV ES ). As IFN‐γ production correlates to cytotoxic function, the CD8 + T‐lymphocyte IFN‐γ response to HIV p24 peptides was compared in HIV ES and HIV‐infected (HIV + ) individuals. Almost 40% of the HIV ES had a CD8 + IFN‐γ + response that was five times lower in magnitude than that of the HIV + group. The breadth of the response in HIV ES was very narrow and focused primarily on one peptide that is similar to the protective KK10 peptide. In the HIV + group, low peripheral CD4 + counts negatively influenced the number of CD8 + cells producing IFN‐γ, which may undermine the ability to control HIV. Overall, many of the HIV ES women possess a HIV‐1 p24‐specific CD8 + IFN‐γ response, providing evidence to the specificity needed for an effective HIV vaccine.