T-cell telomere length maintained in HIV-infected long-term survivors.
METHODS
We have used the erosion of telomeric DNA as a measure of cellular division to study the replicative history of isolated T-lymphocyte subpopulations from a group of HIV-infected long-term survivors and age-matched healthy controls.


RESULTS
In keeping with previous studies, we found that CD45RO+ (memory) T-cells showed greater telomere erosion than CD45RA+ (naive) T-cells. We did not, however, find any significant differences in the telomere lengths of isolated CD4+, CD8+, CD45RA+ or CD45RO+ T-cells between HIV-infected long-term survivors and age-matched controls. Further, we found no evidence of telomerase activation in T-cells from the HIV-infected groups to account for the lack of telomere erosion.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show no evidence, through telomere shortening, of clonal exhaustion or replicative senescence due to an increased rate of immune cell turnover in HIV-infected long-term survivors.
Tucker
V
V
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Leicester University, Leicester, UK.
Jenkins
J
J
Gilmour
J
J
Savoie
H
H
Easterbrook
P
P
Gotch
F
F
Browning
M J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*
D015415:Biomarkers