Evaluation of circulating natural type 1 interferon-producing cells in HIV/GBV-C and HIV/HCV coinfected patients: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
GB virus-C (GBV-C) is a flavivirus that probably influences HIV infection-associated disease among HIV/GBV-C coinfected patients and inhibits the progression of HIV infection to AIDS. To address the possibility of immune-modulating effects of GBV-C coinfection in HIV patients, we evaluated interferon-producing cells in HIV/GBV-C coinfected patients and compared them to HIV-infected patients.


METHODS
We performed a pilot study to enumerate interferon-producing cell count by two-color flow cytometric analysis and also for determining the frequency of ongoing GBV-C and HCV infection among patients infected with HIV. Then, 83 asymptomatic HIV-positive patients were considered for evaluation of interferon-producing cells. Eighty three patients were stratified in four groups according to the HCV and GBV-C infection status: patients infected with HCV and GBV-C (GBV-C+/HCV+), patients infected with GBV-C but not with HCV (GBV-C+/HCV-), patients infected with HCV but not with GBV-C (GBV-C-/HCV+), and patients not infected by GBV-C and HCV (GBV-C-/HCV-).


RESULTS
GBV-C was detected in plasma samples from 15.5% of HIV-infected patients and the frequency of HCV infection was 47.5%. Interferon-producing cells in GBV-C coinfected individuals revealed a wider range of numbers; however, there was no significant difference in the interferon-producing cell count among HIV-infected individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
It does not appear that GBV-C coinfection affects generation or redistribution of interferon-producing cells in HIV-infected patients with relatively intact immune system.
Haji Molla Hoseini
Mostafa
M
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran.
Pourfathollah
Ali-Akbar
AA
Mohraz
Minoo
M
Soheili
Zahra
Z
Amini
Sedigheh
S
Aghaiepour
Mahnaz
M
Samiee
Shahram
S
Nikoogoftar
Mahin
M
Meshkani
Reza
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D029407:GB virus C / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000097:blood*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D007370:Interferon Type I; D012367:RNA, Viral