The Gag Specific T lymphocyte Response of Chinese HIV-1 B/C Infectors at different stages

Background Gag is very important structural protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and could be detected in early infection. Specific T lymphocyte immune response was regarded as essential in controlling the production and infection. HIV-1 subtype B/C epidemic is speeding in China but limited data is available on the T cell responses covering Gag in the HIV-1 subtype B/C infectors at different stages. Materials and Methods.10 antiretroviral treatment(ART) naïve HIV-1 recombinant subtype B/C infectors with infected time in 1 year, 25 ART-naive infectors with infected time more than 3 years and 10 HIV-1-seronegative healthy individuals were enrolled. HIV-1-specific T lymphocyte responses were analyzed by an IFN-γ Elispot assay against 123 overlapping peptides spanning HIV-1 Gag protein in the present study. Results Gag-specific T lymphocyte responses of interferon-gamma secretion were identified in 8(80%) Chinese HIV-1 recombinant subtype B/C infectors with infected time in 1 year, the specific T lymphocytes are mainly targeted at five peptides: GAG7895 in Gag p17, GAG7912, GAG7951 in p24, GAG7979 in p7and GAG7992 in p6. Responses were identified in 17(68%) infectors with infected time more than 3 years, the specific T lymphocytes are mainly targeted at seven peptides: GAG7896 in Gag p17and GAG7911, GAG7912, GAG7917, GAG7923, GAG7924 and GAG7945 in p24. There was obviously positive correlation (P=0.0318,r =0.269) between the magnitude of IFN-γ secretion T lymphocyte responses and plasma viremia in infectors infected time more than 3 years. The magnitude of response in infectors infected in 1 year was significantly higher than that in infectors with infected time more than 3 years (P=0.021). None of the seronegative healthy individuals gave the positive responses. Conclusions HIV-1 recombinant subtype B/C Infectors at different stages of diseases recognize different region of Gag. [Life Science Journal 2010;7(2):75-79]. (ISSN: 1097-8135).