Quantitative and qualitative abnormalities in HIV-1-specific T cells.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the characteristics of CD4 and CD8 T cells specific for HIV-1 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens in untreated and treated HIV-1-infected patients.


METHODS
Antigen-specific T cell frequencies were determined by flow cytometric detection of antigen-induced intracellular cytokines.


RESULTS
In untreated patients, HIV-1-specific CD4 T cell counts in peripheral blood were less than one tenth of CMV-specific CD4 T cell counts, while the number of specific CD8 T cells was approximately the same for both HIV-1 and CMV. In patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for less than 1.5 years, HIV-1-specific CD4 and CD8T cell counts were significantly lower than those in untreated patients. Perforin expression in HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells was significantly lower than that in CMV-specific CD8 T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that HIV-1-specific T cells in HIV-1-infected patients have quantitative and qualitative abnormalities.
Watanabe
N
N
Division of Infectious Diseases, Advanced Clinical Research Center, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Tomizawa
M
M
Tachikawa-Kawana
A
A
Goto
M
M
Ajisawa
A
A
Nakamura
T
T
Iwamoto
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral