title: Multi-way flow cytometric immune monitoring of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children.
abstract: In 40 HIV-infected children, 8-10 years old, belonging to the category A state of infection, the following flow-cytometric parameters were scored: percentage levels of different blood lymphocytes; surface expression of some activation and memory markers in CD4+ cells; switch to Th1 or Th2 of in vitro -stimulated CD4+ cell, tested by intracellular production of interleukin-2 or interleukin-4. Each investigation was carried out both before and 3 months after antiretroviral therapy (AZT and ddC). Some post-therapy changes concerning blood lymphocyte percentages were noticed, not only within CD4+ subpopulation, but also within CD8+, HLA-DR+/CD3 (T-activated) and CD16+CD56+ cells, respectively. On the other hand, following antiretroviral treatment, in HIV- originated CD4+ fresh cells, an improvement of pre-therapy increased values of surface activation (CD69, CD25) markers on memory (CD45RO+) cells, as well as of pre-therapy reduced rate of switching to Th1, revealed by intracellular interleukin-2 synthesis, was found. The significance of data obtained in the multi-way immune monitoring of antiretroviral therapy, in pediatric AIDS, as an additional investigation panel, is discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dept. Microbiology and Immunology, Craiova, Romania.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voiculescu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bălăşoiu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turculeanu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avrămescu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radu
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines