Correlation between expression of antibodies to histone H2B and clinical activity in HIV-infected individuals

Levels of autoantibodies specific for the histone, H2B, were measured in individuals with HIV infection. In comparison with normal (uninfected) controls, infected patients, particularly those with symptomatic disease, had significantly elevated titres of anti-H2B antibodies. Longitudinal studies confirmed that levels of these antibodies were highest in patients with lymphadenopathy and declined with the development of AIDS. In preliminary experiments designed to determine the biological significance of the anti-histone antibodies, H2B was shown to be immunologically cross-reactive with an 18-kD antigen on the surface of HIV-infected or mitogen-activated CD4+ cells. Protein sequencing of the 18-kD antigen has since shown complete homology with histone H2B. Because the titres of H2B autoantibodies were found to parallel the numbers of circulating CD4 cells, it is possible that these antibodies are involved in the destruction of the helper/inducer T lymphocyte population.