Dendritic and natural killer cell subsets associated with stable or declining CD4+ cell counts in treated HIV-1-infected children.
BACKGROUND
Natural killer (NK) cells and plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) are depleted, and their function impaired, in advanced adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection. Studies in perinatally infected children are lacking.


METHODS
Percentages of NK cells and plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs were evaluated by flow cytometry. Forty children with perinatal HIV-1 infection were compared with 11 age-matched, uninfected children. Plasmacytoid and myeloid DC function was evaluated by activation-induced cytokine secretion.


RESULTS
Virally suppressed children had normal levels of circulating plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs and total NK cells but had sustained depletion of a mature (CD3-/161+/56+/16+) NK cell subset and decreased interferon- alpha secretion by plasmacytoid DCs. Despite similar viral loads, percentages of myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs and mature NK cells were significantly lower in viremic children with a history of decreasing CD4+ cell percentages, compared with children with stable CD4+ cell counts.


CONCLUSIONS
Children achieve partial reconstitution of myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs and NK cells during viral suppression; irrespective of viral load, a clinical history of decreasing CD4+ cell percentage is associated with greater depletion of these subsets. We hypothesize that the evaluation of selected innate-immunity effector cells may serve as a marker of CD4+ cell loss in pediatric HIV-1 infection.
Azzoni
L
L
Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4268, USA.
Rutstein
R M
RM
Chehimi
J
J
Farabaugh
M A
MA
Nowmos
A
A
Montaner
L J
LJ
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015497:HIV-1; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values
D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha