Adoptive lymphocyte transfer to an HIV-infected progressor from an elite controller

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Cell Therapy

Background:

• Limited therapeutic options exist for HIV patients with poor virologic control and multidrug-resistant virus.
• Elite controllers manage HIV replication without antiretroviral therapy, offering a potential source for immune cell transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and immunologic effects of transferring peripheral lymphocytes from an HIV-infected elite controller to an HLA-B*2705-matched progressor.
• To assess the antiviral activity of transferred lymphocytes in a recipient with advanced HIV disease.

Main Methods:

• Collected approximately 22 billion lymphocytes from an elite controller via lymphapheresis.
• Infused cells into a recipient with low CD4+ T cell count and high HIV viral load.
• Monitored viral load, CD4+ T cell counts, and immune cell activation markers post-infusion.

Main Results:

• Donor lymphocytes were cleared from the recipient's blood by day 8.
• A temporary decrease in HIV viral load was observed, followed by a rebound.
• Recipient CD8+ T cells exhibited increased activation markers, correlating with peak donor T cell levels.

Conclusions:

• Adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from an elite controller may transiently impact viral load and activate recipient immune cells.
• The immune perturbation observed suggests potential for both beneficial and detrimental effects in progressive HIV disease.
• Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications and optimize this approach for HIV therapy.