LYMPHOCYTE PROLIFERATIVE RESPONSES FOLLOWING IMMUNIZATION WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS RECOMBINANT GP160

Following immunization of healthy adult volunteers with baculovirus-derived HIV-1 gp160 vaccine (rgp160), we measured lymphocyte proliferation to rgp160, the V3 loop peptide of gp160, control proteins, and phytohaemagglutinin. Four persons received injections of 40-mu-g or 80-mu-g doses of rgp160 vaccine at times 0, and 1, 6 and 18 months; one additional volunteer received only three injections of vaccine. Vaccination with rgp160 induced lymphocyte proliferative responses to rgp160, but not to V3 loop peptide. Repeated injection of rgp160 even at low doses induced a cellular immune response which was not attributable to T-cell recognition of the V3 loop peptide.