title: Characteristics of CD8+ T cell subsets in Chinese patients with chronic HIV infection during initial ART.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CD8+ T cells may play an important role in protecting against HIV. However, the changes of CD8+ T cell subsets during early period of ART have not been fully studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one asymptomatic treatment-naive HIV-infected patients with CD4 T+ cells less than 350 cells/μl were enrolled in the study. Naïve, central memory(CM), effective memory(EM) and terminally differentiated effector (EMRA) CD8+ cell subsets and their activation and proliferation subsets were evaluated in blood samples collected at base line, and week 2, 4, 8 and 12 of ART.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total CD8+ T cells declined and the Naïve and CM subsets had a tendency of increase. Activation levels of all CD8+ T cell subsets except EMRA subset decreased after ART. However, proliferation levels of total CD8+ T cells, EMRA, EM and CM subsets increased at the first 4 weeks of ART, then decreased. Proliferation level of the naïve cells decreased after ART.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The changes of CD8+ T cell subsets during initial ART are complex. Our results display a complete phenotypical picture of CD8+ cell subsets during initial ART and provide insights for understanding of immune status during ART.
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Yanmei
authors: Y
authors: Jiao
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Hua
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Tong
authors: T
authors: Zhang
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Yonghong
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Yunxia
authors: Y
authors: Ji
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Hongwei
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijng 100069, China.
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Wu