title: Progressive reduction of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells in HIV-1 infected individuals during antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: Visualization of antigen-specific T cells has become an important tool in studying immune responses. The aim of this study was to analyze CMV-specific CD4+ T cells in healthy and HIV-infected individuals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were examined for antigen-induced intracellular cytokine responses. We found significant numbers of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells detectable in most CMV-IgG+ HIV-1 infected individuals, whereas CMV-specific CD4+ T cells could not be demonstrated in CMV-IgG- patients. Median frequency of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells were lower in HIV-infected subjects who had been treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for more than 1 year than in untreated HIV-infected individuals. In patients under therapy for less than 1 year median CMV-specific CD4+ T cell responder frequency was higher than in subjects treated for more than 1 year but lower than in untreated subjects. HIV suppression with HAART might lead to a progressive reduction of CMV-specific CD4+ T cells indicating an efficient elimination of an opportunistic pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Klinische Immunologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grosse
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendila
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heiken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male