title: Differences in natural killer cell quantification and receptor profile expression in HIV-1 infected Chinese children.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells are believed to play a role in the progression of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) disease, and NK cell levels are reduced in individuals with chronic HIV-1 infection. To assess the effects on quantity of NK cells and the changes of NK cell receptors in HIV-1 infected children via mother-to-child transmission, the percentage of NK cells is quantified and the changes in the NK cell receptor profiles in 20 HIV-1 infected children who are not progressing into AIDS were examined. The results showed that NK cell percentage was decreased in the HIV-1 infected children. The expression of NKp30 on NK cells was increased, while the expressions of CD16, NKp44, NKp46, NKp80, NTB-A, CD244, KIR2D, KIR3DL1 and NKG2D on NK cells were decreased in the HIV-1 infected children. NK cell cytolytic activity was elevated in HIV-1 infected children. These results indicate that the acute changes in NK cell percentage and NK cell receptors in HIV-1 infected children are different from the HIV-1 infected adult individuals. Moreover, serum concentrations of IL-18 were elevated in HIV-infected children compared to HIV-uninfected controls. These differences probably play a role in protecting against transmission of maternal HIV-1 virus and guiding the therapeutic strategies for HIV-1 infected children.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Geng-Feng
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Jun-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hai-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-Qin
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jin-Shui
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xi-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.forename: Ya-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D018664:Interleukin-12