11th International AIDS Conference Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:25 (abstract no. LB.A.6016)
Moss R, Trauger R, Wallace M, Turner J, Kim YB, Giermakowska W, Savary J, Richieri S, Daigle A, Ferre F, Jensen F, Carlo D; Immune Response Corporation, Carlsbad, CA. Fax: (619) 431-8636. E-mail: shotdoc@imnr.com.

Cellular and humoral immune responses were measured in HIV-1 seropositive subjects receiving gp 120-depleted, inactivated HIV-1 antigen in Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant (HIV-1 Immunogen) during an open-labeled treatment study. Gamma interferon (INFgamma) levels were measurable in 8/13 (62%) subjects constitutively and in 9/13 (69%) with HIV-1 antigen in vitro. Mean levels of INFgamma increased with in vitro HIV-1 antigen stimulation (n=9, p is less than or equal to 0.05). INFgamma levels increased 4 weeks after immunization with the HIV-1 Immunogen (n=7, p is less than or equal to 0.05). Interestingly, INFgamma levels correlated positively with CD4 cell counts (n=13, r=0.65, p=0.02). Interleukin-4 (IL-4) was measurable in culture without antigen in 2/11 (18%) subjects and in 6/11 (55%) with HIV-1 antigen stimulation in vitro. IL-4 levels did not change with antigen stimulation. Chemokines measured in culture demonstrated a mean MCP-1 (n=10) of 1847 pg/ml, MIP-1alpha (n=10) 591 pg/ml, MIP-1beta (n=11) 1249 pg/ml and RANTES (n=11) 517 pg/ml. These levels decreased after CD8 depletion and did not correlate with plasma RNA. Lymphocyte proliferation (SI) to HIV antigen increased (n=10, p is less than or equal to 0.05) after injection with the HIV-1 Immunogen. SI to HIV-1 antigen significantly correlated with subjects' CD4 counts (r=0.74, p=0.01). Finally, Western blots of subjects revealed increases in the intensity and number of HIV-1 specific bands post-injection. This is the first report of cytokines and chemokines in subjects immunized with the HIV-1 Immunogen and suggests that both cellular and humoral HIV-1 specific immune responses were augmented in subjects receiving this immune-based therapy. Furthermore, functional cell-mediated immunity significantly correlated with the absolute number of CD4 positive cells.

960707
LBA6016

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