Abstract
Seventeen women who were persistently uninfected by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), despite repeated sexual exposure, and 12 of their HIV-positive male partners were studied for antiviral correlates of nontransmission. Thirteen women had ≥1 immune response in the form of CD8 cell noncytotoxic HIV-1 suppressive activity, proliferative CD4 cell response to HIV antigens, CD8 cell production of macrophage inflammatory protein-1β, or ELISPOT assay for HIV-1-specific interferon-γ secretion. The male HIV-positive partners without AIDS had extremely high CD8 cell counts. All 8 male partners evaluated showed CD8 cell-related cytotoxic HIV suppressive activity. Reduced CD4 cell susceptibility to infection, neutralizing antibody, single-cell cytokine production, and local antibody in the women played no apparent protective role. These observations suggest that the primary protective factor is CD8 cell activity in both the HIV-positive donor and the HIV-negative partner. These findings have substantial implications for vaccine development.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 428-438 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 185 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 15 2002 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Immunology