title: [The subpopulation  CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients correlated with disease progression].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the subpopulation of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); regulatory T cells (Treg),  CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients and study its correlation with other immune indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 68 cases of HIV/AIDS patients without anti-HIV treatment [29 cases of long-term non-progressive (LTNP) group,  27 cases of typical progressive HIV infection group and 12 cases of AIDS group] and 20 healthy individuals as a control group.  Blood samples of these cases were analyzed by flow cytometry after immunofluorescent staining to determine the levels of CD4(+); T cells,  CD8(+); T cells,  NK cells and CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Except CD8(+); T cells,  the levels of CD4(+); T,  NK cells and CD4(+);/CD8(+); in peripheral blood of HIV/AIDS patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05);  With the progression of disease,  the percentage and absolute count of CD4(+);T cells,  the absolute counts of CD8(+);T cells and NK cells,  and CD4(+);/CD8(+); T cell ratio in the LTNP group,  HIV group and AIDS group decreased gradually,  while the percentage of CD8(+);T cells increased gradually. Our multiple comparison analysis revealed that the percentages of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); Treg and CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg in CD4(+); T cells were significantly different among groups (P<0.05). With the progression of disease,  the percentages of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); Treg and CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg increased gradually;  in addition,  the difference in the absolute count of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg was not statistically significant between LTNP group and healthy control group(P>0.05),  so was between HIV and AIDS groups (P>0.05);  no significant difference was found in every other two groups (P<0.05);  the absolute count of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg decreased gradually.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of persistent HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xin-rui
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yi-fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ya-mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit