ABSTRACT
LongitudinalstudieshaveshownthatHIV-specificCTLactivitydecreasesinadvancedstages ofHIVinfection(126,130).Themechanismresponsibleforthisdeclineremainsunclear. Pantaleo(126)etal.haveshownthatthecytolyticmachineryofCTLsisstillintactinpatients withAIDSeventhoughHIV-specificCTLactivityhasbeenlost.Thiswasshownusinga redirectedkillingassay,inwhichmurinetargetcellsbearingFereceptorswereincubatedwith CTLsinthepresenceofanti-CD3monoclonalantibody;theantibodyformedabridgebetween theCD3+CTLsandthetargetcell,leadingtoactivationofthecytolyticmachineryofthe CTLs.
