Co-infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1): does immune activation lead to a faster progression to AIDS?
BACKGROUND
Recent data have shown that HTLV-1 is prevalent among HIV positive patients in Mozambique, although the impact of HTLV-1 infection on HIV disease progression remains controversial. Our aim was to determine the phenotypic profile of T lymphocytes subsets among Mozambican patients co-infected by HIV and HTLV-1.


METHODS
We enrolled 29 patients co-infected by HTLV-1 and HIV (co-infected), 59 patients mono-infected by HIV (HIV) and 16 healthy controls (HC), respectively.For phenotypic analysis, cells were stained with the following fluorochrome-labeled anti-human monoclonal antibodies CD4-APC, CD8-PerCP, CD25-PE, CD62L-FITC, CD45RA-FITC. CD45RO-PE, CD38-PE; being analysed by four-colour flow cytometry.


RESULTS
We initially found that CD4+ T cell counts were significantly higher in co-infected, as compared to HIV groups. Moreover, CD4+ T Lymphocytes from co-infected patients presented significantly higher levels of CD45RO and CD25, but lower levels of CD45RA and CD62L, strongly indicating that CD4+ T cells are more activated under HTLV-1 plus HIV co-infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that HTLV-1/HIV co-infected patients progress with higher CD4+ T cell counts and higher levels of activation markers. In this context, it is conceivable that in co-infected individuals, these higher levels of activation may account for a faster progression to AIDS.
Gudo
Eduardo Samo
ES
Department of Immunology, National Institute of Health, Maputo, Mozambique. esamogudo@yahoo.com.br
Bhatt
Nilesh B
NB
Bila
Dulce Ramalho
DR
Abreu
Celina Monteiro
CM
Tanuri
Amílcar
A
Savino
Wilson
W
Silva-Barbosa
Suse Dayse
SD
Jani
Ilesh V
IV
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009073:Mozambique
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies