title: Random depletion of T cells that bear specific T cell receptor V beta sequences in AIDS patients.
abstract: A cross-sectional PCR analysis of the TCR V beta repertoires in HIV-1 seronegative controls and HIV-1 infected individuals with either clinically or immunologically defined AIDS [1] was performed to examine the proposed superantigen model for HIV-1 pathogenesis. In contrast to previous reports, we find neither uniform specific losses nor uniform clonal expansions of particular TCR V beta gene families in subjects with AIDS. Instead our study, which was designed specifically to qualitatively determine the presence or absence of TCR V beta families in both subject populations, indicates an overall diminution in the expression of TCR V beta gene families in HIV-1 infected individuals with AIDS compared with controls. This is commensurate with the decrease in CD4 T cells in the AIDS population. Our data are therefore not directly suggestive of a common superantigen model of HIV-1 induced T cell clonal depletion or anergy, but instead emphasize a broad decrease in signals throughout the TCR V beta repertoire in AIDS versus control groups. This random depletion in the TCR V beta repertoire is most likely caused by aspects of HIV-1 pathogenesis other than virus-encoded superantigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15261.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Boldt-Houle
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001345:Autoradiography; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D018089:Superantigens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens; D004247:DNA