title: Alterations of T-cell receptor variable region expression in human immunodeficiency virus disease.
abstract: Since only a small percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes is infected at any one time during the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, a question central to the pathogenesis of HIV is whether or not the depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes is a random or selective event. The majority of peripheral blood T lymphocytes use alpha and beta variable chains as components of their T-cell receptor (TCR) complex. Depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes from the peripheral blood may be dependent on the V beta chain expressed by the CD4+ cell, based on the hypothesis that HIV may encode a superantigen. Peripheral blood from normal controls and HIV+ patients was studied for alterations in the expression of various V beta chains of the TCR. Three-color flow cytometry was used to determine the expression of V beta 2, V beta 3, V beta 8, V beta 13, and V beta 19 on all lymphocytes and on both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes independently. Alteration of the V beta chains in HIV+ disease was analyzed as a function of absolute CD4 count and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stage of the patient. These data suggest that the loss of T helper (CD4) lymphocytes during the course of HIV disease may be a selective event. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that selective depletion of CD4+, V beta 19+ lymphocytes may be due to the encoding of a superantigen by HIV. Furthermore, using multicolor flow cytometry and stratifying patients by absolute CD4 counts (or stage of disease) may reveal immunologic changes that might otherwise be overlooked.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Camden, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Overton
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blumstein
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gekowski
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell