9th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA] 24 – 26 April 2003, University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology (UMIST) Manchester

[AUTHOR(S):] J Stebbing¹, S Portsmouth¹, A Wildfire¹, FM Gotch¹, MR Nelson¹, M Bower¹, S Shaunak¹, P Srivastava², BG Gazzard¹ and S Patterson^1
1 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK, and ² Center for Immunotherapy, University of Connecticut, USA

BHIVA Conf 2003 Apr 24-26;9:O20

BACKGROUND: A small proportion of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals remain asymptomatic for a long period after infection. It is thought that a vigorous immune response may contribute to long-term non-progression, although studies are confounded by heterogeneity among patients.

METHODS: We studied the levels of HIV-1 receptors, co-stimulatory T-cell molecules and dendritic cell (DC) numbers in 18 individuals with long-term infection, a CD4 count >400 cells/µl and an HIV-1 viral load <50 copies/ml. These patients were further differentiated by the presence or absence of 2-long terminal repeat (LTR) DNA circles, a possible marker for residual ongoing HIV-1 replication.

RESULTS: A statistically significant increase in levels of CD91, the heatshock protein (HSP) receptor, was observed in therapy-naïve individuals who had no evidence of ongoing viral replication (P=0.01). This difference was most notable on their monocytes.

CONCLUSIONS: High levels of CD91 may be a host factor that contributes to maintenance of long-term non-progression. Its ability to internalise α-defensins and cross-present exogenous antigen to cytotoxic T lymphocytes via major histocompatibility class I may maintain CD8⁺ responses in these individuals.

PRESENTING AUTHOR: J Stebbing

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Copyright © 2003 - 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