VIRUS-SPECIFIC CD8-LYMPHOCYTE ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH CONTROL OF VIREMIA IN PRIMARY HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 INFECTION( CYTOTOXIC T)

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Env-, Gag-, Pol-, Nef-, an d Tat-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activities were quantitate d temporally in five patients with symptomatic primary HIV-1 infection . A dominant CD8(+)-mediated, major histocompatibility complex class I -restricted CTL response to the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein, gp160, wa s noted in four of the five patients studied. The level of HIV-1-speci fic CTL activity in the five patients paralleled the efficiency of con trol of primary viremia. Patients who mounted strong gp160-specific CT L responses showed rapid reduction of acute plasma viremia and antigen emia, while in contrast, primary viremia and antigenemia were poorly c ontrolled in patients in whom virus-specific CTL activity was low or u ndetectable. These results suggest that HIV-1-specific CTL activity is a major component of the host immune response associated with the con trol of virus replication following primary HIV-1 infection and have i mportant implications for the design of antiviral vaccines.