Methods for Assessing the Ability of HIV Patients to Restrict HIV Replication
Description of Invention:
One of the current obstacles for the design and testing of effective vaccines and immunotherapies of HIV is the lack of in vitro correlates that will predict the ability to restrict virus replication. This invention relates to methods for evaluating the effectiveness of HIV therapies and vaccines and methods for assessing the ability of HIV patients to restrict virus replication. Upon restimulation of CD8+ T cells, the expression of perforin in these cells, and the cell cycle stage of these cells may be measured and used as in vitro markers for monitoring the patient's ability to restrict HIV replication and the effectiveness of the therapies and vaccines applied. Significant proliferation of CD8+ T cells, the presence of perforin in these cells, and the ability of these cells to progress beyond the G1 stage signify the patient's ability to restrict HIV replication and a favorable effect of the therapies or vaccines. These methods may be advantageously applied in conjunction with other measurements of HIV specific immune response such as HLA tetramers.
Inventors:
Mark Connors and Stephen Migueles (NIAID)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-260-2002/0
Relevant Publication:
Migueles et al., "HIV-specific CD8+ T cell proliferation is coupled to perforin expression and is maintained in nonprogressors," Nature Immunol 2002 Nov 3(11):1061-1068.
Licensing Status: This technology is no longer available for licensing.
For Additional Information Please Contact: Susan Ano Ph.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-5515
Email: anos@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
