The dynamics of the cellular immune response to HIV infection: implications for vaccination.

Recent advances in measuring T-cell responses to viruses have led to new insights into how these T cells respond. In the acute infection there are massive CD8+ T-cell responses to both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many of these T cells are effector cells and on...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Principais autores: Mcmichael, A, Callan, M, Appay, V, Hanke, T, Ogg, G, Rowland-Jones, S
Formato: Journal article
Idioma:English
Publicado em: 2000
Descrição
Resumo:Recent advances in measuring T-cell responses to viruses have led to new insights into how these T cells respond. In the acute infection there are massive CD8+ T-cell responses to both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many of these T cells are effector cells and only a minority appear to be capable of maintaining immunological memory. In persistent virus infections, high levels of antigen-specific effector cells persist. If virus does not persist, the effectors fade in number but memory is maintained and is primed to react rapidly to a new challenge. A vaccine that stimulates only T-cell responses may protect when these memory cells respond rapidly enough to generate high numbers of effectors before the infecting virus becomes established.