Investigation of apoptotic markers among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infected individuals.
OBJECTIVE
Apoptosis causes a decline in the counts of uninfected bystander CD4+ T cells in HIV infection. The rate of disease progression of HIV infection is considered to be faster in the developing countries. The present study was carried out to investigate certain markers for apoptosis in immunopathogensis of disease in HIV infected south Indian population.


METHODS
Soluble Fas (sFas) antigen and Fas ligand levels in plasma samples from 39 antiretroviral treatment naïve patients was estimated and compared with T cell subsets and HIV-1 viral load.


RESULTS
The mean sFas antigen levels among controls and the CDC A, B and C clinical stages were 2.77, 3.08, 3.26 and 3.28 ng /ml respectively, higher though not significantly among HIV-1 infected individuals compared to controls. The mean sFas ligand levels in CDC A, B and C stages were 0.138, 0.125 and 0.117 ng/ml respectively were higher (P<0.001) than controls (0.073 ng/ml) and positively correlated with total lymphocyte % (r=0.43, P =0.007). sFas antigen levels were negatively correlated with total WBC count (r=-0.34, P=0.04), CD4% (r=-0.4, P=0.01) and CD4:CD8 ratio (r=-0.37, P=0.02). There was an increase in plasma levels of sFas antigen and Fas ligand over time in asymptomatics.


CONCLUSIONS
The high levels of sFas antigen and Fas ligand seen in HIV infected individuals suggest increased activation and apoptosis of T cells, due to constant stimulation of the immune system by inter-current infections of HIV infected individuals in south India.
Ramalingam
Sandeep
S
Department of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Kannangai
Rajesh
R
Abraham
O C
OC
Subramanian
Swaminathan
S
Rupali
Priscilla
P
Pulimood
S A
SA
Jesudason
M V
MV
Sridharan
Gopalan
G
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood
C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019014:fas Receptor