title: Reduced naive and increased activated CD4 and CD8 cells in healthy adult Ethiopians compared with their Dutch counterparts.
abstract: To assess possible differences in immune status, proportions and absolute numbers of subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were compared between HIV- healthy Ethiopians (n = 52) and HIV- Dutch (n = 60). Both proportions and absolute numbers of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were found to be significantly reduced in HIV Ethiopians compared with HIV- Dutch subjects. Also, both proportions and absolute numbers of the effector CD8+ T cell population as well as the CD4+CD45RA-CD27- and CD8+CD45RA-CD27- T cell populations were increased in Ethiopians. Finally, both proportions and absolute numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing CD28 were significantly reduced in Ethiopians versus Dutch. In addition, the possible association between the described subsets and HIV status was studied by comparing the above 52 HIV- individuals with 32 HIV+ Ethiopians with CD4 counts > 200/microliter and/or no AIDS-defining conditions and 39 HIV+ Ethiopians with CD4 counts < 200/microliter or with AIDS-defining conditions. There was a gradual increase of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, a decrease of CD8+ T cells expressing CD28 and a decrease of effector CD8+ T cells when moving from HIV- to AIDS. Furthermore, a decrease of naive CD8+ T cells and an increase of memory CD8+ T cells in AIDS patients were observed. These results suggest a generally and persistently activated immune system in HIV- Ethiopians. The potential consequences of this are discussed, in relation to HIV infection.
authors: Ethiopian-Netherlands AIDS Research Project (ENARP), Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Messele
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Abdulkadir
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Fontanet
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Petros
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Hamann
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Koot
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Roos
authors: P T
authors: PT
authors: Schellekens
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Miedema
authors: T F
authors: TF
authors: Rinke de Wit
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology