Study of T Cell subsets and IL-7 protein expression in HIV-1-infected patients after 7 years HAART

• Main Authors: Shou C, Weng N, Jin Y, Feng L, Jin C, Hoextermann S, Potthoff A, Skaletz-Rorowski A, Brockmeyer NH, Wu N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2011-11-01
• Series: European Journal of Medical Research
• Subjects: HIV-1; highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART); T cell subsets; IL-7
• Online Access: http://www.eurjmedres.com/content/16/11/473

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>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).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>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 (<it>p <</it>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 (<it>p </it>< 0.05). Both the CD8/HLADR⁺and CD8/CD38⁺T cell counts had gradually approached those of the control group (<it>p </it>> 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 (<it>p </it>< 0.01). After seven years of effective HAART, IL-7 levels had gradually decreased, but were still higher than in the control group (<it>p </it>< 0.01). The CD127 expression on CD3⁺CD8⁺T cells in effective HAART patients was higher than in untreated HIV+ patients (<it>p </it>< 0.05), but was lower than that in the control group (<it>p </it>< 0.05). CD127 expression on CD3⁺CD4+ T cells was not significantly different among the control group, untreated HIV+ patients and effective HAART group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>After seven years of </it>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.</p>