CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte regeneration after anti-retroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected children and adult patients.
Previous studies have shown a slow recovery of naive CD4+ T cell counts after anti-retroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected adults, which is in accordance with thymus atrophy after puberty. Here we investigate whether or not different patterns of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cell repopulation are present in adult and child patients undergoing anti-retroviral treatment. Thus, 25 adults under highly active anti-retroviral therapy and 10 children under combined anti-retroviral therapy were retrospectively analysed for T cell subpopulations at baseline (T0) and around week 12 (T1) and week 24 (T2) of anti-retroviral treatment. Mean serum HIV-1 RNA levels dropped in both groups. Recovery of T cells in adults was characterized by a heterogeneous response between patients, with only 44% of them increasing their naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts at T1, and changes in mean total CD4+ T cells were mainly shaped by memory cells. Otherwise, children were characterized by an early increase in naive T cells. Thus, at T1, all children analysed had a strong rise in CD4+ (from 389 +/- 116 to 569 +/- 121 cells/microl; P < 0.01), and nine out of 10 also in naive CD8+ T cells (from 244 +/- 58 to 473 +/- 85 cells/microl; P < 0.05). However, no significant correlation between age and naive repopulation was observed (P = 0. 22) in children. Thus, children had the earlier and greater increases in naive T cell subsets than adults, probably due to a more active thymus, with the potential for immune reconstitution when HIV-1 replication is controlled.
Franco
J M
JM
Viral Hepatitis and AIDS Study Group, and Departments of Paediatrics, Radiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain.
León-Leal
J A
JA
Leal
M
M
Cano-Rodriguez
A
A
Pineda
J A
JA
Macías
J
J
Rubio
A
A
Rey
C
C
Sanchez
B
B
Lissen
E
E
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents