EARLY HIV-SPECIFIC CYTOTOXIC T-LYMPHOCYTES AND DISEASE PROGRESSION INCHILDREN BORN TO HIV-INFECTED MOTHERS

The activities of HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were eva luated in 10 HIV-infected children, born to infected mothers who did n ot receive AZT during pregnancy, CTL activities were present as early as 4 months of age. The five children that progressed to AIDS before 1 year of age had reduced in vivo and in vitro CTL activities, when com pared with children who remained AIDS free after 1 year of age. The la tter children had weak in vivo activated CTL responses but strong memo ry CTLs, No relation was found between viral load, lymphocyte populati ons, and CTL responses between birth and 6 months of age, Between 7 an d 12 months old, children with broader in vitro activated CTLs had hig her absolute numbers of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes and lower plas ma viral load, These data support a beneficial role of CTLs in pediatr ic HIV infection.