[CD38 antigen as a marker for immunological follow-up in HIV-positive patients].
BACKGROUND
HIV infection causes chronic activation of cytotoxic CD8+ T-lymphocytes, which is partly responsible for the hallmark of the disease--progressive loss of CD4+ T-lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to evaluate an influence of HIV infection and long-term antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on expression of the activation molecules CD38 on CD8+ T-lymphocytes.


METHODS
A group of 16 HIV-positive patients treated with HAART was followed for 12 months. Also, we examined 10 persons with a newly diagnosed HIV infection that were not treated with HAART. Expression of CD38 molecules on CD8+ T-lymphocytes was determined with five-parameter cytometric analysis using monoclonal antibodies as well as their mean fluorescence intensity (MFI).


RESULTS
The percentage of CD8+/CD38+ T-lymphocytes in HIV-positive patients treated with HAART significantly decreased during the follow-up period from 46.1 I 3.7 to 35.2 I 3.8 (p = 0,01). Furthermore, the percentage of these cells correlated negatively with the number of CD4+T-lymphocytes at the beginning and the end of the study (r = -0,679, p < 0.01; r = -0,51, p = 0,05, respectively). There was no correlation between these parameters in persons with newly diagnosed HIV infection. However, the percentage of CD8+/CD38+ T-lymphocytes in these patients was significantly higher than in persons treated with HAART (68.5 I 5.3 vs. 35.2 I 3.8, p < 0,01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the importance of expression of CD38 antigen on CD8+ T-lymphocytes as a biological and clinical marker of HIV infection and indicate its usefulness for monitoring of the efficacy of HAART therapy.
Holub
Michal
M
Dept. Infectious Diseases, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, Budínova 2, 180-81 Prague 8, Czech Republic. michal.holub@fnb.cz
Beran
Ondrej
O
Kalanin
Ján
J
Hnyková
Jarmila
J
Spála
Jirí
J
Rozsypal
Hanus
H
D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase / Q000032:analysis*; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008875:Middle Aged
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1