Comparison of HIV-1 specific T cell immunity in the female genital tract and blood of HIV-infected women : impact of in vitro T cell expansion on HIV-specific T cell specificity, maturational status and functional complexity

This study shows that HIV-specific cervical T cells can be isolated by cytobrushing and in vitro polyclonal expansion is a useful approach to increase the number of T cells available from mucosal sites. Dynal beads (1:1) in the presence of IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15 resulted in the best yields of cervical T cells while anti-CD3 in the presence of IL-2 best conserved the ex vivo T cell profile. Expanded T cell lines, irrespective of expansion method used, generally maintain their cytokine response profile to HIV anti- gens. This study shows that HIV Gag-specific blood and cervical T cells were largely mono-functional with polyfunctional T cells being detected in women with high blood CD4 count and low plasma viral load. This study confirms that HIV-specific Gag T cell responses detected in the polyclonal expanded female genital tract T cells are associated with those measured in blood during HIV infection.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Division of Virology

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Bere, Alfred

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Passmore, Jo-Ann

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10081

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/10081