[An investigation of clinical features and immunological functions of HCV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HIV/HCV co-infected patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical features, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cell counts, HIV RNA load, HCV RNA load, CD8+ T cell responses to HCV of HIV/HCV co-infected and HCV mono-infected patients and to assess the mutual influences of the two viruses in the infection.


METHODS
Fifty-nine patients with HIV/HCV co-infection were enrolled in this study. Thirty-six patients with HCV mono-infection served as a comparison group. The liver function, peripheral blood CD4+ T and CD8+ T cell counts, HIV RNA load and HCV RNA load were compared between the groups. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed by interferon-gamma ELISpot using a panel of HCV antigens.


RESULTS
The frequency of HIV/HCV co-infection in those blood donors in Henan, China was 60.8%. ALT and AST in the HIV/HCV co-infection patients were not different from those of the HCV group. Globulin in the HIV/HCV co-infection group was higher than that in the HCV group (P<0.01). CD4+ T cell counts in the HIV/HCV co-infection group were lower than those in the HCV group, but CD8+ T cell counts in the HIV/HCV co-infection group were higher than those in the HCV group (P<0.01). The HCV RNA loads were higher in the HIV/HCV co-infection group than in the HCV group(P<0.01). The magnitude of HCV-specific CTL response to HCV-NS3 overlapping peptides in the HIV/HCV co-infection group (649.34+/-685.90) was higher than that in the HCV group (1233.70+/-1085.16). Albumin was negatively correlated with HCV RNA (log10copies/ml) in the HIV/HCV co-infection group (r=-0.540). A positive correlation was found between platelet and peripheral blood CD4+ T cell counts (P<0.05). No linear correlation was found between HCV virus loads, HIV virus loads or peripheral blood CD4+ T cell counts.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of HIV/HCV co-infection in the blood donors in Henan, China was 60.8%. HIV/HCV co-infection aggravated the progress of chronic hepatitis C.
DU
Xiao-fei
XF
VIP Ward for Liver Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
Zhang
Yong-hong
YH
Ma
Li-na
LN
Yan
Hui-ping
HP
Chen
Xin-yue
XY
Wu
Hao
H
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015163:Superinfection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load