Although highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been moderately successful in controlling plasma HIV levels and virus replication in infected patients, it has not been able to eradicate latent virus from the resting CD4+ T cell compartment. In addition, the effects of HAART on immunologic restoration have been incomplete. To address these deficiencies, interleukin-2 (IL-2) is being studied for its potential role in supplementing HAART therapy. This study proposes to examine the effect of HAART therapy with IL-2 treatment on the reservoir of latent virus and on certain components of the immune system, compared to HAART alone. Analyses will include quantification of competent virus, characterization of lymphocyte subsets, and assays for protective immune responses. We will study 30 patients who have been infected within the 6 months prior to study participation. Since individuals early in infection have highly competent immune systems, our hypothesis is that early intervention with HAART or HAART plus IL-2 will provide the best chance for diminishing viral reservoirs and enhancing immune control of HIV.Early in the course of infection, the vast majority of individuals infected with HIV lose their HIV-specific immune response. The nature of this loss is not fully understood: possibilities include clonal deletion and/or functional tolerance or anergy. A secondary aspect of this study is to evaluate the mechanism for the loss of HIV-specific immunity. A better understanding of this loss is essential to developing strategies to either prevent it, or overcome it through therapeutic maneuvers. - AIDS, immunity, HAART, IL- 2, reservoirs, early infection - Human Subjects
