8th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA] 19 – 21 April 2002, University of York, York

[AUTHOR(S):] RM Lascar¹, R Johnstone¹, A Bertoletti², RJC Gilson¹, MK Maini^2
1 Royal Free and University College Medical School and ² Institute of Hepatology, University College London

BHIVA Conf 2002 Apr 19-21;8:O20

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on reconstitution of HBV-specific CD4 and CD8 responses in HIV-positive patients with natural immunity to HBV and in a group of HBV chronic carriers.

BACKGROUND:

METHODS: HBV-specific immune responses were studied in a group of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) A2+ HBV immune and HBV carriers coinfected with HIV. Patients were sampled prospectively for a period of 6 months after starting HAART. HLA tetramers and intracellular cytokine staining ex vivo and 10 days after in vitro stimulation were used to analyse the HBV-specific CD8 responses. CD4 responses to HBV core antigen were measured by intracellular cytokine staining directly ex vivo.

RESULTS: All patients had an increase in the CD4 count and a good virological response to HAART. In the HBV-immune group we demonstrated reconstitution of functionally active HBV-specific CD8 responses, correlating with a recovery of HBV core-specific CD4 responses. In the HBV/HIV co-infected group we show that treating HBV in the context of HAART may overcome the HBV-specific CTL hyporesponsiveness usually seen in this chronic carrier group.

CONCLUSION: Preliminary results suggest that HBV-specific CTL responses can be restored by HAART in the HBV-immune group. Data will be presented for the HBV chronic carrier group.

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020419
O20

Copyright © 2002 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD