title: Thymic output during initial highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and during HAART supplementation with interleukin 2 and/or with HIV type 1 immunogen (Remune).
abstract: The thymic output of patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was assessed by sjTREC (signal joint T cell receptor rearrangement excision circle) analysis to determine the thymic contribution to CD4(+) T cell reconstitution during initial therapy and during interleukin 2 (IL-2) and/or Remune supplementation of HAART. Levels of sjTRECs were observed to decline dramatically after the first 4 weeks of HAART and then increased without significant associated changes in CD4(+) T cell counts. HAART supplementation with IL-2 was observed to lead to rapid increases in CD4(+) T cells that were accompanied by sjTREC decreases. No notable changes in CD4(+) T cell counts and sjTRECs were seen in patients receiving HAART supplemented with Remune alone. The results indicate CD4(+) T cell maintenance during initial treatment of HIV-1 with HAART and early CD4(+) T cell reconstitution of patients receiving IL-2 with HAART is largely due to thymus-independent mechanisms, with the thymus making a limited contribution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London SW10 9NH, UK.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pido-Lopez
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gazzard
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aspinall
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gotch
authors.forename: Nesrina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imami
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C105086:remune