EFFECT OF THERAPEUTIC IMMUNIZATION WITH RECOMBINANT GP160 HIV-1 VACCINE ON HIV-1 PROVIRAL DNA AND PLASMA RNA - RELATIONSHIP TO CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSES

Therapeutic vaccination has been proposed as a strategy to augment imm une mechanisms to control viral replication and slow clinical progress ion of HIV infection to disease. Following recombinant gp160 (r-gp160) immunization in three clinical trials, plasma HIV-1 RNA and cellular proviral DNA were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) in 76 HIV-seropositive subjects with CD4(+) T cell counts greater than or equal to 300/mm(3). Immunization increased HIV-specific cellu lar immune responses (e.g., cytotoxic T lymphocyte [CTL] activities, l ymphocyte proliferative responses); however, there were no significant effects of immunization or cellular immune responses on measures of p lasma RNA or cellular DNA viral load.