It has been known since 1986 that CD8 T lymphocytes from certain HIV-1-infected individuals who are immunologically stable secrete a soluble factor, termed CAF, that suppresses HIV-1 replication. However, the identity of CAF remained elusive despite an extensive search. By means of a protein-chip technology, we identified a cluster of proteins that were secreted when CD8 T cells from long-term nonprogressors with HIV-1 infection were stimulated. These proteins were identified as alpha-defensin 1, 2, and 3 on the basis of specific antibody recognition and amino acid sequencing. CAF activity was eliminated or neutralized by an antibody specific for human alpha-defensins. Synthetic and purified preparations of alpha-defensins also inhibited the replication of HIV-1 isolates in vitro. Taken together, our results indicate that alpha-defensin 1, 2, and 3 collectively account for much of the anti-HIV-1 activity of CAF that is not attributable to beta-chemokines.

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Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

A variable pressure (up to 10 atm) powder/gas/liquid injection inductively coupled plasma system has been developed and used to produce high-quality boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) at continuous production rates of 35 g/h. Under suitable conditions, collapsed BN nanotubes (i.e., nanoribbons), and closed shell BN capsules (i.e., nanococoons) are also obtained. The process is adaptable to a large variety of feedstock materials.