title: Association of CD4+ T cell subpopulations and psychological stress measures in women living with HIV.
abstract: Psychological stress is a known immunomodulator. In individuals with HIV, depression, the most common manifestation of increased psychological stress, can affect immune function with lower CD4+ T cell counts correlating with higher levels of depression. It is unknown how other forms of psychological stress can impact immune markers in people living with HIV. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine how CD4+ T cell subpopulations correlated with different forms of psychological stress. We recruited 50 HIV-positive women as part of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. We assessed perceived stress, worry, acute anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression through self-report questionnaires and CD4+ T cell subpopulations using flow cytometry. Our sample was 96% African-American with a mean ± SD age and body mass index of 42 ± 8.8 years and 36.6 ± 11.5 kg/m2, respectively. The mean ± SD scores on the psychological measures were as follows: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), 16.5 ± 6.4; Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), 47.7 ± 13.8; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - State (STAIS), 39.1 ± 12.3; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Trait (STAIT), 40.2 ± 11.4; Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 15.6 ± 11.4. The mean + SD values for the immune parameters were as follows: regulatory T cells (Treg), 1.25% ± 0.7; T helper 1 (Th1), 14.9% ± 6.1; T helper 2 (Th2), 3.8% ± 2; Th1/Th2 ratio, 4.6 ± 3; and CD4+ T cell count (cells/mm3), 493 ± 251. Treg levels positively correlated with PSS, STAIS, and STAIT. CD4+ T cell count negatively correlated with PSS, PSWQ, STAIS, STAIT, and CES-D. These data suggest that immune function may be impacted by various forms of psychological stress in HIV-positive women. Interventions that target stress reduction may be useful in improving immune parameters and quality of life.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Behavioral Immunology, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Kristina E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Rehm
authors.affiliation: b Division of Infectious Diseases , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Konkle-Parker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008922:Mississippi; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019562:Viral Load
keywords: Stress; T cells; anxiety; depression; worry