title: Characterization of CD8+ T lymphocytes in chronic HIV-1 subtype A infection in Rwandan women.
abstract: We examined CD8+ T lymphocyte characteristics in Rwandan women who have survived HIV-1 subtype A infection for 8-13 years without antiretroviral therapy. HIV-1 subtype A gag-specific IFN-gamma expressing CD8+ T lymphocytes were detectable in PBMC from 5 of 7 women and there was a strong positive association (r = 0.9262; p < 0.001) between these cells and plasma viral load. CD8+ T cells of these HIV-positive women produced more RANTES and MIP-1beta than cells from HIV-negative donors. However, extremely low levels of perforin (0.88 +/- 0.93%) were produced by CD8+ T lymphocytes from the infected women compared with HIV-negative controls (42.86 +/- 11.0%; p < 0.001). The percentages of CD8+ CD45RA+ perforin+ and CD8+ CD45RA+ CD27-lymphocytes were also much lower in the HIV-infected women compared with HIV-negative controls. Therefore, the inability of CD8+ T cells to control HIV may, in part, be dependent on insufficient generation of effectors from HIV-specific CD8+ T cells. Also, the lack of perforin in CD8+ T cells is linked with persistent CD27 expression, suggesting impaired maturation and impairment in cytolytic activity in chronic HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and International Health, School of Public Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karita
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Castor
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jolly
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D054353:Perforin; D010641:Phenotype; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012432:Rwanda; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D054353:Perforin; D012313:RNA; D007371:Interferon-gamma