title: HIV replication leads to skewed maturation of CD8-positive T-cell responses in infected children.
abstract: HIV-1 infection causes a severe T-cell impairment with alteration of immune response. However, in children the natural decline of lymphocytes and CD4 cells in early life makes it more difficult to monitor immunocompetence and progression of HIV-infection. Aim of this study was to characterize the CD8 response in non-vertically HIV-infected children exposed persistently to viremia and in HIV-infected children controlling efficiently viremia by ART, by analysing the effect of persistent viremia on CD4 and CD8 T-cells count, HIV-specific immune-response and naive/memory pattern of CD8 T-cell. Whereas, no differences of CD4 count between viremic patients and viral controllers were observed (1046.9 +/- 472.1 cells/microl vs 1101.3 +/- 415.4 cells/microl; p > 0.05), CD8 count was higher in the viremic patients (1080.6 +/- 652.1 cells/microl vs 747.5 +/- 389.9 cells/microl, p < 0.05). In viremic patients, HIV-specific CD8 T-cells correlated with viral load. However, in this group a loss of HIV-specific CD8 response was associated with a 7 fold decrease of naïve and increase of pre-effector CD8 T-cells (62.8% +/- 10.21% vs 10.37% +/- 7.91%, p < 0.03). Persistent exposure to viremia alters HIV-specific CD8 response possibly through a persistent immune activation process leading to exhaustion of naive CD8 T-cells and skewed maturation of memory subset. Therefore, memory CD8 T-cells might lose the ability to respond correctly and efficiently to HIV-antigen exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy. montesano@uniroma2.it
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montesano
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anselmi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Rosella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cicconi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castelli-Gattinara
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colizzi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amicosante
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D037182:T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents