The primary hypothesis under investigation is that humoral and cellular immune responses will affect the biological properties and genetic characteristics of HIV and alter disease progression. The proposed studies will utilize available specimens from a cohort followed longitudinally since 6 months of age or earlier, and focusing primarily on slow progressors and rapid progressors.
The Specific Aims of this application are: (1) to study the natural history of humoral immune responses through quantitation of binding antibodies to core and envelope, quantitation of autologous and heterologous neutralizing antibody, and detection of ADCC; (2) to determine the role of cellular immunity in disease progression through characterization of T cell receptor utilization and CTL; (3) to study the biological properties of virus over time as it relates to disease progression by determining viral burden, host cell range and syncytia production.
| Geffin, Rebeca; Hutto, Cecelia; Andrew, Carole et al. (2003) A longitudinal assessment of autologous neutralizing antibodies in children perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Virology 310:207-15 |
| Tresoldi, Eleonora; Romiti, Maria Luisa; Boniotto, Michele et al. (2002) Prognostic value of the stromal cell-derived factor 1 3'A mutation in pediatric human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. J Infect Dis 185:696-700 |
| Romiti, M L; Cancrini, C; Castelli-Gattinara, G et al. (2001) Kinetics of the T-cell receptor CD4 and CD8 V beta repertoire in HIV-1 vertically infected infants early treated with HAART. AIDS 15:2075-84 |
| Laufer, M; Scott, G B (2000) Medical management of HIV disease in children. Pediatr Clin North Am 47:127-53 |
