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Researchers at the University of
California, Los Angeles, have discovered why some HIV positive individuals progress
more rapidly than others to full-blown AIDS. The research was published in the
Journal of Virology.
Slow progressors carry the gene
called HLA-B*57 (B57) an immune gene variant found in less than five percent of
the population, but in 40-85 percent of slow progressors. Among those with the
B57 gene, the speed of disease progression also varies. The key to the
variation is a killer T-cell immune response occurring early in the HIV
infection. It targets a section or epitope of the HIV protein known as IW9.
The researchers compared only the
killer T-cell responses among those with the B57 gene, using blood taken
shortly after HIV infection from 14 HLA-B57 carriers with known infection dates
and known long-term outcomes. It was found that those whose killer T-cell
immune response targeted the IW9 epitope early in the infection had
significantly longer times until onset of AIDS than those who did not.
The researchers note that the study
sample was small - 14 subjects - and that the study should be repeated with a
larger number of subjects. Also, the results point to a correlation with,
rather than causation of slower disease progression among B57 carriers who
target the IW9 epitope soon after infection. The full report was published in
the Journal of Virology (October 2012; 86:10505-10516).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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