Generation and Expansion of HIV-1 CD4+ Antigen-Specific T Cell Lines

T-helper (Th) lymphocytes play a pivotal role in the immune response to viral pathogens. Understanding of the mechanisms governing the Th response to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is key to unveiling the pathogenesis of HIV-1 disease given the primary role the CD4+ T-cell plays as both a viral target and host effector cell. Determining the fine specificity of these T-cells can be correlated with patient outcome and used as a tool for specific immune reconstitution. The classic approach that has been used to study the interaction between the virus and its target cells has been the use of transformed CD4+ T-cell lines. Although easy to grow and maintain in culture, these transformed T-cell lines do not reflect the exact behavior of primary CD4+ lymphocytes (1,2). Therefore, nontransformed CD4+ antigen-specific T-cell lines should be considered the definitive model for the cellular study of HIV infection and pathogenesis in vivo.