Expansion of T cells negative for CD28 expression in HIV infection. Relation to activation markers and cell adhesion molecules, and correlation with prognostic markers.
CD28 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that provides T cells with an essential co-stimulatory signal during antigen presentation. Using flow cytometry, we document here an expansion of CD28- T cells in HIV infection. Whereas the percentage of CD4+CD28+ T cells among total lymphocytes was decreased, a small increase of the percentage of CD4+CD28- T cells was observed. In the CD8+ subset, there was a marked expansion of CD8+CD28- T cells. An increased percentage of CD8+ T cells positive for HLA-DR was found in both CD28+ and CD28- cells. Results were similar for CD38 expression. HIV infection was also distinguished by a shift from LFA-1lowCD28low to LFA-1highCD28high and LFA-1high-CD28neg expression pattern on CD8+ T cells. Negative correlations were found between percentage and absolute number of CD8+CD28+ T cells and several serum parameters usually associated with poor prognosis (IgA, IgE, beta 2-microglobulin and HIV-1 p24 antigen). Thus, HIV infection is characterized by a marked expansion of CD28- T cells with an abnormal expression of activation markers and cell adhesion molecules. In addition, CD8+CD28+, but not CD8+CD28- or total CD8+ T cell numbers, correlated with the levels of established serological markers of disease severity or progression and may, therefore, have predictive value.
Kämmerer
R
R
Institute for Medical Microbiology, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck, Germany.
Iten
A
A
Frei
P C
PC
Bürgisser
P
P
D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D011379:Prognosis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
D018106:CD28 Antigens; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E