Immune Responses in Controllers of HIV Infection

Abstract

Elite controllers are a heterogeneous group of people living with HIV who control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy. There is substantial evidence that at least some elite controllers are infected with replication-competent virus, thus they may serve as a model of a functional cure of HIV. The mechanisms responsible for virologic control have been actively studied. The most objective data support CD8+ T cell–based mechanisms of control, but other immune responses, mediated by antibodies and natural killer cells, may also play a role in controlling viral replication. In this article, we review the evidence for different mechanisms of immune control in these remarkable individuals. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Immunology, Volume 42 is April 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.