Impaired IFN-γ Production by Viral Immunodominant Peptide-specific Tetramer+ CD8+ T Cells in HIV-1 Infected Patients is not Secondary to HAART

Studies on PBMC samples from HIV-1 infected patients have shown that despite substantial number of HIV specific CTLs, these patients gradually progress to AIDS. The present study was conducted to determine whether this paradox was secondary to the influence of protease inhibitors being utilized by these patients. Thus, aliquots of PBMC samples from 10 HIV infected humans with no prior history of anti-retroviral drug therapy (ART) and 6 HIV-infected patients that had been on HAART for >1 year were analyzed for the frequency of HIV-1 Nef and Gag dominant peptide specific tetramer