The effect of aging on T-regulatory cell frequency in HIV infection.
T-regulatory cell (T-reg) frequency is increased in HIV infection and with aging. We evaluated the effect of age on total, memory and naïve T-reg percentages in untreated HIV infection. Older HIV(+) subjects had a total T-reg percent that is 2.8% (p=0.02) higher than among younger HIV(+), older HIV(-) and younger HIV(-) subjects. In HIV(+) subjects, the total T-reg percentage is inversely correlated with the lymphocyte proliferative responses to tetanus (r=-0.45, p=0.002) and Candida (r=-0.43, p=0.003) antigens. Similar correlations were seen between memory T-reg percentages and the lymphocyte proliferative response to tetanus and Candida in HIV(+) subjects. T-reg percentages did not correlate consistently with markers of immune activation. T-reg percentages are increased in the older HIV(+) population and may play a role in the accelerated disease progression seen in older HIV-infected persons.
Tenorio
Allan R
AR
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rush Medical College, 600 S. Paulina Street, Suite 143-AAC, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. allan_s_tenorio@rush.edu
Spritzler
John
J
Martinson
Jeffrey
J
Gichinga
Caroline N
CN
Pollard
Richard B
RB
Lederman
Michael M
MM
Kalayjian
Robert C
RC
Landay
Alan L
AL
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult