Study of T cell subsets and IL-7 protein expression in HIV-1-infected patients after 7 years HAART.
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes in T cell subsets and IL-7 in HIV-1-infected patients after seven years of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).


METHODS
Seventy-five individuals were included in this study (25 with effective HAART, 18 with ineffective HAART, 17 untreated HIV+ patients, and 15 volunteers in the HIV negative control group). The counts of CD4+, CD8+, CD8/CD38+, and CD8/HLADR+ T cells as well as the IL-7 protein expression was measured at 5 time points during a period of seven years in patients starting HAART (baseline) and in the HIV negative control group. The expression of CD127 on CD3+ T cells was measured by flow cytometry at a single time point (after 7 years) in patients with HAART and was compared with untreated HIV+ patients and the HIV negative control group.


RESULTS
At baseline CD4+ T cell counts of HIV-1-infected patients were lower than that in the control group (p < 0.01), whereas the CD8+, CD8/HLADR+ and CD8/CD38+ T cell counts were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.01). After seven years of effective HAART, the CD4+ T cell counts had increased and the CD8+ T cell count had decreased, although not to the normal levels (p < 0.05). Both the CD8/HLADR+ and CD8/CD38+ T cell counts had gradually approached those of the control group (p > 0.05). In the ineffective HAART group, the CD8/CD38+ T cell count had not decreased significantly, and CD8/HLADR+ T cell count gradually decreased. Before treatment, IL-7 serum levels of patients were significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.01). After seven years of effective HAART, IL-7 levels had gradually decreased, but were still higher than in the control group (p < 0.01). The CD127 expression on CD3+ CD8+ T cells in effective HAART patients was higher than in untreated HIV+ patients (p < 0.05), but was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). CD127 expression on CD3+ CD4+ T cells was not significantly different among the control group, untreated HIV+ patients and effective HAART group.


CONCLUSIONS
After seven years of effective HAART, the quantity and capacity of T cell subsets and IL-7 in HIV-1-infected patients had been partially restored, and the abnormal immune activation has significantly diminished.
Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
C
C
Shou
N
N
Weng
Y
Y
Jin
L
L
Feng
C
C
Jin
S
S
Hoextermann
A
A
Potthoff
A
A
Skaletz-Rorowski
N H
NH
Brockmeyer
Nanping
N
Wu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D017252:CD3 Complex; C508605:IL7 protein, human; D015851:Interleukin-7; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit