title: Lack of evidence for small intestinal mucosal T-cell activation as a pathogenic mechanism in African HIV-associated enteropathy.
abstract: The role of mucosal T-cell activation in HIV-associated enteropathy is uncertain. Twenty Zambian patients with AIDS and chronic diarrhea were studied, as were nine controls. Distal duodenal biopsies were taken at endoscopy. Morphometric analysis and dual color immunofluorescence staining were performed. Villous height was reduced [177 (118-228) vs 305 (244-358) microm P = 0.002] and crypt depth increased [220 (164-202) vs 194 (164-202) microm P = 0.008] in AIDS patients compared to controls. CD3+CD4+ T cells were reduced in AIDS patients compared to controls [12.9 (5.7-25.2) vs 47.6 (33.4-65.5)% P = 0.04]. There was no significant difference in expression of CD8, CD25, CD69, HML-1, or HLA-DR on T cells between the AIDS patients and controls, with the exception of CD3+HML-1+ cells, which were increased in AIDS patients (P = 0.05). Small intestinal T-cell activation was similar between AIDS patients and controls. We conclude, therefore, that this mechanism is not likely to be important in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated enteropathy.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Diseases Research Centre, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Veitch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zulu
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Farthing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D004386:Duodenum / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D019053:HIV Enteropathy / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015024:Zambia
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C062279:CD6 antigen; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016023:Integrins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C070709:integrin alphaEbeta7