Multiple T-cell responses are associated with better control of acute HIV-1 infection: An observational study

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses play pivotal roles in controlling the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), but the correlation between CTL responses and the progression of HIV-1 infection are controversial on account of HIV immune escape mutations driven by CTL pressure were reported. The acute HIV-1-infected patients from Beijing were incorporated into our study to investigate the effects of CTL response on the progression of HIV-1 infection. A longitudinal study was performed on acute HIV-1-infected patients to clarify the kinetic of T-cell responses, the dynamic of escape mutations, as well as the correlation between effective T-cell response and the progression of HIV infection. Seven human leukocyte antigen-B51+ (HLA-B51+) individuals were screened from 105 acute HIV-1 infectors. The detailed kinetic of HLA-B51-restricted CTL responses was described through blood sampling time points including seroconversion, 3 and 6 months after HIV-1 infection in the 7 HLA-B51+ individuals, by using 16 known HLA-B51 restricted epitopes. Pol743–751 (LPPVVAKEI, LI9), Pol283–289 (TAFTIPSI, TI8), and Gag327–3459 (NANPDCKTI, NI9) were identified as 3 dominant epitopes, and ranked as starting with LI9, followed by TI8 and NI9 in the ability to induce T-cell responses. The dynamics of escape mutations in the 3 epitopes were also found with the same order as T-cell response, by using sequencing for viral clones on blood sampling at seroconversion, 3 and 6 months after HIV-1 infection. We use solid evidence to demonstrate the correlation between T-cell response and HIV-1 mutation, and postulate that multiple T-cell responses might benefit the control of HIV-1 infection, especially in acute infection phase.