Understanding Cellular Immune Responses - April 2008. What Is Known About Cellular Immune Responses Against HIV?
Abstract
The cellular immune response involves a subset of immune cells known as CD4+ T helper cells that orchestrate the activities of activated CD8+ T cells, known as cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which can kill cells already infected by the virus. Several AIDS vaccine candidates have been identified that can induce cellular immune responses, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, against HIV. Many of these have been evaluated in clinical trials, including Merck's MRKAd5 vaccine candidate that was recently tested in the STEP trial.The findings of these trials suggest its not the size of the T-cell response that is important but the ability of the cells to perform their functions or to multiply later in an infection.
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Vax Online Primer
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Published 1 January 2008