Comparison of HIV-1 specific T cell immunity in the female genital tract and blood of HIV-infected women : impact of in vitro T cell expansion on HIV-specific T cell specificity, maturational status and functional complexity
Doctoral Thesis
2010
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
This study shows that HIV-specific cervical T cells can be isolated by cytobrushing and in vitro polyclonal expansion is a useful approach to increase the number of T cells available from mucosal sites. Dynal beads (1:1) in the presence of IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15 resulted in the best yields of cervical T cells while anti-CD3 in the presence of IL-2 best conserved the ex vivo T cell profile. Expanded T cell lines, irrespective of expansion method used, generally maintain their cytokine response profile to HIV anti- gens. This study shows that HIV Gag-specific blood and cervical T cells were largely mono-functional with polyfunctional T cells being detected in women with high blood CD4 count and low plasma viral load. This study confirms that HIV-specific Gag T cell responses detected in the polyclonal expanded female genital tract T cells are associated with those measured in blood during HIV infection.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-184).
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Bere, A. 2010. Comparison of HIV-1 specific T cell immunity in the female genital tract and blood of HIV-infected women : impact of in vitro T cell expansion on HIV-specific T cell specificity, maturational status and functional complexity. University of Cape Town.