Circulating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) p24 antigen-positive lymphocytes: a flow cytometric measure of HIV infection.
Asymptomatic individuals seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progress in a heterogeneous fashion toward AIDS. To facilitate monitoring of disease progression and response to therapy, a rapid, new flow cytometric assay (FCA) lymphocyte p24-FCA, has been devised to quantify peripheral blood lymphocytes expressing cell-associated HIV-1 p24 antigen. Results from 55 asymptomatic, HIV-1-seropositive, serum p24 antigen-negative individuals ranged from undetectable (less than 0.1%) to 13.6% p24+ lymphocytes (mean, 2.0%). Mean values for three other groups studied were 0.1% for seronegative, viral culture-negative laboratory workers (n = 24); 4.2% for untreated patients with AIDS (n = 16); and 0.3% for AIDS patients receiving zidovudine (n = 11). Lymphocyte p24-FCA values were inversely related to the number of days to positive viral cultures and to levels of CD4+ lymphocytes. The ratio of p24+ lymphocytes to CD4+ lymphocytes may reflect the fraction of infected CD4+ lymphocytes. Lymphocyte p24-FCA determination may provide a method for monitoring response to antiretroviral therapy regardless of serum p24 antigen status.
Ohlsson-Wilhelm
B M
BM
Department of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey 17033.
Cory
J M
JM
Kessler
H A
HA
Eyster
M E
ME
Rapp
F
F
Landay
A
A
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000032:analysis*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D015215:Zidovudine