Systemic immune activation in HIV-1-exposed uninfected Vietnamese intravascular drug users.
To assess immunological parameters, including markers of immune activation, in highly HIV-1-exposed uninfected (EU) Vietnamese intravascular drug users (IDUs) in comparison with HIV-1-infected IDUs and HIVunexposed controls, we determined peripheral lymphocyte phenotypes in fresh whole blood samples from 32 EU IDUs, 28 HIV+ IDUs, and 26 blood donors. We found higher levels of activation markers (CD38, HLADR) on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, lower percentages of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, higher percentages of CD8+ T cells and of CD8+ T cells expressing CD25, and lower levels of CXCR4+CD4+ T cells in EU IDUs than in unexposed controls. Despite several differences in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subset phenotypes, both EU and HIV+ IDUs exhibited a pattern of peripheral immune activation. Lymphocyte activation in EU IDUs may reflect immune stimulation driven by viral infections other than HIV-1 and/or allogeneic stimulation associated with needle sharing. Our results suggest that immune activation does not necessarily favor HIV-1 transmission, but, on the contrary, may alter the susceptibility of EUs to HIV-1 infection and contribute to their resistance.
Institut Pasteur, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Hung K
HK
Tran
Loïc
L
Chartier
Lien X
LX
Troung
Ngai N
NN
Nguyen
Arnaud
A
Fontanet
François E
FE
Barré-Sinoussi
Gianfranco
G
Pancino
Daniel
D
Scott-Algara
D000328:Adult; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
D018941:Antigens, CD19; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D017452:Receptors, IgG