Polyfunctional CD4 super(+) T cell responses in HIV-1 -infected viral controllers compared with those in healthy recipients of an adjuvanted polyprotein HIV-1 vaccine

A recombinant fusion protein (F4) consisting of HIV-1 pi 7, p24, reverse transcriptase (RT) and Nef, adjuvanted with AS01, induced strong and broad CD4 super(+) T cell responses in healthy volunteers. Here we compare these vaccine-induced CD4 super(+) T cell responses with the ones induced by natural infection in patients with varying disease courses. Thirty-eight HIV-infected, antiretroviral treatment-naive subjects were classified into four categories: 8 long-term non-progressors (infection greater than or equal to 7 years; CD4 super(+) T cells greater than or equal to 500/ mu L), 10 recently infected individuals (infection less than or equal to 2 years; CD4 super(+) T cells greater than or equal to 500/ mu L), 10 typical early progressors (CD4 super(+) T cells mu 350/ mu L), and 10 viral controllers (plasma HIV-1 RNA