title: γδ T cells are involved in acute HIV infection and associated with AIDS progression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early diagnosis is vital to HIV control. γδ T cells play critical roles in viral infections, but their activation in acute HIV infected patients and follow up to 18 months has not been described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in γδ T cells, including subsets, function and activation, in treated and untreated acutely HIV-infected patients (n = 79) were compared by cytotoxicity assay and flow cytometry with healthy controls (n = 21) at month 0, 6, 12 and 18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In acutely HIV-infected patients, Vδ1 cell proportion was elevated (P = 0.027) with Vδ2 population reduced (P = 0.002). Effector and central memory γδ T cell factions were decreased (P = 0.006 and P = 0.001, respectively), while proportion of terminal γδ T cells increased (P = 0.002). γδ T cell cytotoxicity was compromised over time. Fraction of IL-17-producing cells increased (P = 0.008), and IFN-γ-producing cells were unaffected (P = 0.115). Elevation of a microbial translocation marker, sCD14, was associated with γδ T cell activation (P = 0.001), which increased in a time-dependent manner, correlating with CD4/CD8 T cell activation set-points and CD4 counts. Antiretroviral therapy did not affect these changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  γδ T cell subpopulation and functions change significantly in acute HIV infection and over time. Early γδ T cell activation was associated with CD4/CD8 T cell activation set-points, which predict AIDS progression. Therefore, γδ T cell activation represents a potential surrogate marker of AIDS progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College; National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yanmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dexi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College; National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lianxian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College; National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College; National Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000097:blood; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D000099231:Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D000099231:Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein