title: Decrease in immune activation in HIV-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy correlates with the function of hematopoietic progenitor cells and the number of naive CD4+ cells.
abstract: This study was conducted to determine the impact of immune activation, cytokine production and apoptosis on the naive CD4+ cell count and the function of hematopoietic progenitor cells during the initial phase of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Blood samples from 11 HIV-infected patients were collected prior to HAART and after 4 and 12 weeks of therapy. Flow cytometry was used to determine the naive CD4+ count and activated T cells. The cloning efficiency of progenitor cells was determined using a colony-forming cells assay. Finally, apoptosis and cytokine production were determined. During the study period, the naive CD4+ count and the cloning efficiency increased significantly. Immune activation was found in HIV-infected patients and decreased during HAART. The level of immune activation correlated negatively with both the naive CD4+ count and the function of progenitor cells. A negative correlation was found between apoptosis and the naive CD4+ count. Alterations in cytokine production during HAART or correlation between cytokine production and the naive CD4+ count or the cloning efficiency of progenitor cells were not detected. In conclusion, immune activation in HIV-infected patients treated with HAART is inversely correlated with the function of progenitor cells and the naive CD4+ count.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: T U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ersbøll
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D017209:Apoptosis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines