Epitope Specificity & Polyfunctional CD4+ Responses In Majengo cohort

A long standing study of low social economic status commercial sex workers, in the Majengo cohort of Nairobi has demonstrated variable susceptibility to HIV-1, where some of the highly exposed subjects remain persistently seronegative, indicative of resistance to HIV -1. There has been intense interest in understanding the mechanism responsible for this phenomenon.This study evaluated the protective immunity in light of polyfunctional immune responses due to specific selective peptide recognition by in vitro stimulation of the subjects. The immune responses were measured. The Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells were obtained, stimulated and the responses measured for pro-inflammatory cytokines production at day three and for proliferation at day six of incubation at 37oC and 5% CO2. The resistant group showed significant levels of IFN¿, TNF ¿¿, IL-2 production and proliferation, especially in response peptide pools 1, 12, 13 and 14 (Env, P24, P31 and P2P7P1, P6 P7, Protease and REV peptide pools).Future directions include breaking down the specific peptide pools with unique responses confirming polyfuctionality due to epitope specificity.