Expression of activation antigens, HLA-DR and CD38, on CD8 lymphocytes during HIV-1 infection.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of the activation markers human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and CD38 antigen on CD8+ T-lymphocytes in HIV-infected subjects and HIV-negative controls.


METHODS
Two- and three-colour flow-cytometric analysis.


METHODS
Fresh peripheral venous blood was obtained from 16 HIV-infected subjects, representing four different stages of HIV disease, and from six HIV-negative controls. Three-colour lymphocyte immunophenotyping was performed using peridinyl chlorophyll-A protein (PerCP)-conjugated anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody (MAb) in combination with anti-HLA-DR (phycoerythrin) and anti-CD38 (fluorescein isothiocyanate) MAb.


RESULTS
The relative percentage of the lymphocyte populations thus defined differed between HIV-negative and HIV-positive subjects and between HIV-infected subjects at different clinical stages of disease. Simultaneous expression of HLA-DR and CD38 within the CD8 T-lymphocyte compartment increased from 8% in controls to 49% in asymptomatic HIV-infected subjects (P less than 0.005). Symptomatic patients differed from asymptomatic seropositives by a further increase in the HLA-DR+ CD38+ CD8 subset. In AIDS patients, the HLA-DR+ CD38- CD8 subset decreased (P less than 0.05) and the HLA-DR- CD38+ CD8 subset increased (P less than 0.05), compared with the other HIV disease stage patients.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a stage-associated pattern of HLA-DR and CD38 expression on CD8 T-lymphocytes during HIV infection; specific phenotypic patterns may have functional correlates in the host response to the virus.
Kestens
L
L
Laboratory of Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Vanham
G
G
Gigase
P
P
Young
G
G
Hannet
I
I
Vanlangendonck
F
F
Hulstaert
F
F
Bach
B A
BA
D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000097:blood*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1