Longitudinal analysis of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B (gB)-specific and neutralizing antibodies in AIDS patients either with or without cytomegalovirus end-organ disease
J. Alberola et al., Longitudinal analysis of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B (gB)-specific and neutralizing antibodies in AIDS patients either with or without cytomegalovirus end-organ disease, J MED VIROL, 64(1), 2001, pp. 35-41
Serum neutralizing and glycoprotein B (gB)-specific antibody levels were mo
nitored prospectively in AIDS patients who either did or did not develop hu
man cytomegalovirus (HCMV) endorgan disease, to delineate further the role
of antibodies in protecting against HCMV disease. Antibody levels declined
substantially (at least 4-fold) only in patients who developed HCMV disease
; this decline in turn occurred concurrently with antigenemia. Nevertheless
, AIDS patients who remained free of HCMV disease and did not become antige
nemic during the follow-up period maintained stable levels of serum antibod
ies, with only minor fluctuations. The impact of HAART on the levels of fun
ctional anti-HCMV antibodies was investigated in a number of AIDS patients.
Serum levels and kinetics of gB and neutralizing antibodies did not differ
significantly between patients who responded biologically and virologicall
y to therapy and those who failed to respond. In addition, CD4 + cell count
s and HIV viral RNA levels did not correlate with anti-HCMV antibody titers
. J. Med. Virol. 64:35-41,2001. (C) 2001Wiley-Liss,Inc.