Specific variants of the human leukocyte antigens HLA-B27 and HLA-B57 are associated with control of HIV-1 infection, but the mechanisms responsible for this protection are not clear. Here, Elahi et al. show that CD8+ cytotoxic T cells restricted by these HLA variants are less susceptible to suppression by and are able to kill regulatory T cells, which may account for their sustained proliferative capacity during chronic HIV-1 infection.
- Shokrollah Elahi
- Warren L Dinges
- Helen Horton
