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7th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]27 – 29 April 2001, The Hove Centre, Brighton |
[AUTHOR(S):] G Hardy1, N Imami1, AK Sullivan1, MR Nelson1, C Burton1, R Moss2, BG Gazzard1 and FM Gotch1
1 Imperial College School of Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK, and 2 Immune Response Corporation, San Diego, California, USA
BHIVA Conf 2001 Apr 27-29;7:O33
OBJECTIVE: We sought to enhance antiviral CD4 helper (HTL) and CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses in a randomised, phase I immunotherapy study.
METHODS: Forty patients are being treated for 16 weeks with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) before randomisation to: (1) HAART alone; (2) HAART + Interleukin-2 (IL-2); (3) HAART + IL-2 + therapeutic vaccination (Remune); (4) HAART + Remune.
RESULTS: We confirm that HAART is insufficient to allow regeneration of HIV-1 specific responses. Despite a mean baseline CD4 T-cell count of 286 cells/µl, Remune was able to induce transient HIV-1 specific T-cell responses. IL-2 substantially increased the CD4 T-cell counts, despite inducing transient viraemia. Three patients in this study received tetanus toxoid vaccination in addition to IL-2. Vaccination with this recall antigen was found to induce responses, the duration of which could be enhanced by IL-2. However, the addition of IL-2 to Remune appears to have limited in vitro benefits, suggesting that some HIV specific T-cell anergy may continue. Despite this, virological breakthrough, even without immunotherapy, induced transient CD4 HTL and CD8 CTL responses to HIV-1.
CONCLUSION: HIV-1 specific CD8 and CD4 T-cell responses are inducible in HAART-treated chronic HIV-1 infection by therapeutic vaccination and IL-2 therapy, or by interruption of HAART.
PRESENTING AUTHOR: G Hardy
010427
O33
Copyright © 2001 - 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