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Updated: Jul 31, 2026

A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses
Published on: August 31, 2014
T-cell antigen receptor V beta subsets are not preferentially deleted in AIDS
D N Posnett1, S Kabak, A S Hodtsev
1Division of Allergy-Immunology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021.
Objective:
Evidence for an HIV-1-associated superantigen (SAg) has been presented. Here we test whether targeted T cells are preferentially depleted in AIDS.
Design:
The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) V beta repertoire was compared in 44 HIV+ hemophiliac patients and in 27 controls.
Methods:
Eleven TCR V gene-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb), representing approximately one-third of the V beta repertoire were used to measure T-cell numbers expressing V beta and V alpha genes in both the CD4 and the CD8 subsets by two-color immunofluorescence.
Results:
The percentage of T cells expressing these V genes could be accurately quantitated in both the CD4 and the CD8 T-cell populations and at various clinical stages of disease progression. No preferential deletion of any particular V gene subsets was detected.
Conclusion:
CD4 T-cell depletion in AIDS is not V beta-selective.
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