The paper:
J.J. Mattapallil et al., "Massive infection and loss of memory CD4+ T cells in multiple tissues during acute SIV infection," Nature, 434:1093-7, 2005. (Cited in 98 papers)
The finding:
Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and HIV are known to reduce CD4+ T cells dramatically. Research by Mario Roederer at the National Institute of Health and his colleagues showed that this happens during acute infection, suggesting that this is an important time to reduce viral load therapeutically.
The follow-up:
CD4+ T cells in SIV-infected infant macaques have the same rate of depletion, according to in press work by Ronald Veazey at Tulane University. What's surprising, he says, is the substantial amount of CD4+ T cells in uninfected infants, perhaps suggesting that "the immune system is cranked up very early after birth."
The application:
Roederer's team reported in 2006 that vaccination reduces CD4+ T cell depletion during acute SIV infection in ...
