Enhancement of HIV type 1 antigen-specific CD4(+) T cell memory in subjects with chronic HIV type 1 infection receiving an HIV type 1 immunogen

We examined HIV-1 specific memory helper T immune responses in chronically HIV-infected subjects who received an immune-based therapy (HN-I immunogen, Remune), Subjects in this study exhibited significant increases (p < 0.05) in the frequency of helper T memory cells expressing interferon gamma (IFN -gamma) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in response to HIV-1 an tigens in vitro. The frequencies of HIV-specific memory T cells increased a fter successive immunizations and exhibited a correlation with the standard tritiated thymidine incorporation lymphocyte proliferation assay (r = 0.72 , p < 0.0008), These results support the notion that HIV-specific memory im mune responses can be stimulated in subjects with chronic HIV infection. Fu rther investigations are warranted to determine whether the induction of su ch responses is associated,vith virologic control.