Bulk culture levels of specific cytotoxic T-cell activity against HIV-1 proteins are not associated with risk of death

The ability of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to control and influence the o utcome of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is not fully underst ood. The association between HIV-CTL activity and disease progression was e valuated prospectively in 36 HIV-1-infected individuals with a median follo w-up of 3.0 years. HIV-CTL activity was measured in a 4 h Cr* release assay using autologous target cells expressing HIV-1 BRU isolate gene products ( gp-120, gag, pol, nef) and a bulk culture of autologous effector cells. The CD4 count was measured at enrolment and plasma HIV RNA was measured retros pectively. The present study failed to support the hypothesis that HIV-CTL activity, as measured using the present method, is important in reducing th e risk of death in HIV-infected individuals. However, using other approache s and methods could possibly yield other conclusions, and further prospecti ve studies are needed to examine the relationship between CTL and disease p rogression.