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Journal of Virology, August 2007, p. 8838-8842, Vol. 81, No. 16
0022-538X/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.02663-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Low Immune Activation despite High Levels of Pathogenic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Results in Long-Term Asymptomatic Disease

Shailesh K. Choudhary,^1, Nienke Vrisekoop,^2, Christine A. Jansen,² Sigrid A. Otto,² Hanneke Schuitemaker,³ Frank Miedema,² and David Camerini^1*

Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Immunology and Center for Virus Research, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3900,¹ Department of Immunology, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands,² Sanquin Research Landsteiner Lab and Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands³

Received 1 December 2006/ Accepted 20 May 2007

Long-term asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals (LTA) usually have low viral load and low immune activation. To discern whether viral load or immune activation is dominant in determining progression to AIDS, we studied three exceptional LTA with high viral loads. HIV type 1 isolates from these LTA were as pathogenic as viruses from progressors in organ culture. Despite high viral loads, these LTA had low levels of proliferating and activated T cells compared to progressors, like other LTA. In contrast to those in progressors, HIV-specific CD4⁺ T-cell responses in these LTA were maintained. Thus, low immune activation despite a high viral load preserved HIV-specific T-cell responses and resulted in a long-term asymptomatic phenotype.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, 2230 McGaugh Hall, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3900. Phone: (949) 824-3381. Fax: (949) 824-8551. E-mail: david.camerini{at}uci.edu

Published ahead of print on 30 May 2007.

These authors contributed equally to this study.

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Journal of Virology, August 2007, p. 8838-8842, Vol. 81, No. 16
0022-538X/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.02663-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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