Frequent intratype neutralization by plasma immunoglobulin A identified in HIV-2 infection.

Summary, in English

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) is less transmissible and less pathogenic compared to HIV-1 and, when matched for CD4+ T cell count, the plasma viral load in HIV-2 infected individuals is approximately one log lower than in HIV-1 infected individuals. The explanation for these observations is elusive, but differences in virus controlling immunity generated in the two infections may be contributing factors. In the present study, we investigated neutralization by immunoglobulin A (IgA), in parallel with IgG, purified from plasma of HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dually (HIV-D)-infected individuals. Neutralization was analyzed against HIV-1 and HIV-2 isolates using a plaque reduction assay. In HIV-2 infection, intratype-specific neutralization by IgA was frequently detected, although at a lesser magnitude then the corresponding IgG neutralizing titers. In contrast, neutralization by IgA could rarely be demonstrated in HIV-1 infection despite similar plasma IgA levels in both infections. In addition, IgA and IgG of HIV-D plasma neutralized the HIV-2 isolate more potently than the HIV-1 isolate, suggesting that the difference between neutralizing activity of plasma IgA and IgG depends on the virus itself. Taken together, these findings suggest that both IgA and IgG adds to the potent intratype neutralizing activity detected in HIV-2 plasma, which may contribute to virus control in HIV-2 infection.

• Author: Gülsen Özkaya Sahin; Fredrik Månsson; Angelica Palm; Elzbieta Vincic; Zacarias da Silva; Patrik Medstrand; Hans Norrgren; Eva Maria Fenyö; Marianne Jansson
• Department/s: Division of Medical Microbiology; Infectious Diseases Research Unit; Department of Experimental Medical Science; Clinical Virology, Malmö; Division of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine; Infection Medicine (BMC); EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health
• Publishing year: 2013
• Language: English
• Pages: 470-478
• Publication/Series: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 3
• Full text: - 763 kB; Download statistics
• Links: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23088167?dopt=Abstract; http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/AID.2012.0219
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
• Topic: Infectious Medicine
• Status: Published
• Research group: Infectious Diseases Research Unit; Clinical Virology, Malmö
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1931-8405