T-cell subset distribution in HIV-1-infected patients after 12 years of treatment-induced viremic suppression.

TY - JOUR

T1 - T-cell subset distribution in HIV-1-infected patients after 12 years of treatment-induced viremic suppression.

AU - Rönsholt, Frederikke F.

AU - Ullum, Henrik

AU - Katzenstein, Terese L.

AU - Gerstoft, Jan

AU - Ostrowski, Sisse R.

PY - 2012/11/1

Y1 - 2012/11/1

N2 - Residual immune activation and skewed T cell maturation may contribute to excess comorbidity and mortality in successfully treated HIV-infected patients, and long-term effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on immune reconstitution remain a debated issue. Quantitative T cell reconstitution and activation and its association with residual viremia in patients with 12 years of viremic suppression were investigated. Blood samples collected cross-sectionally from 71 HIV-infected patients with cART-induced viremic suppression through 12 years were compared with samples from 16 healthy controls. Several different subsets of naive, memory, and activated T cells were analyzed in fresh whole blood by 6-color flowcytometry, and ultrasensitive quantification of HIV RNA was performed. HIV-infected patients had lower absolute and relative CD4 T cell counts and higher absolute and relative CD8 T cell counts than controls. HIV-infected patients had lower concentrations of naive CD4 cells than controls, but proportions were similar. HIV-infected patients had higher concentrations of CD8 T cells than controls in all the examined subsets but only a higher proportion of CD8 cells in the intermediately differentiated and activated subsets. Residual viremia did not correlate to proportions of naive CD4, CD4 recent thymic emigrants, or activated CD8 T cells. This study demonstrated some degree of T cell imbalance even after 12 years of successful cART. Large longitudinal studies are needed to establish whether these discrete changes have clinical relevance.

AB - Residual immune activation and skewed T cell maturation may contribute to excess comorbidity and mortality in successfully treated HIV-infected patients, and long-term effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on immune reconstitution remain a debated issue. Quantitative T cell reconstitution and activation and its association with residual viremia in patients with 12 years of viremic suppression were investigated. Blood samples collected cross-sectionally from 71 HIV-infected patients with cART-induced viremic suppression through 12 years were compared with samples from 16 healthy controls. Several different subsets of naive, memory, and activated T cells were analyzed in fresh whole blood by 6-color flowcytometry, and ultrasensitive quantification of HIV RNA was performed. HIV-infected patients had lower absolute and relative CD4 T cell counts and higher absolute and relative CD8 T cell counts than controls. HIV-infected patients had lower concentrations of naive CD4 cells than controls, but proportions were similar. HIV-infected patients had higher concentrations of CD8 T cells than controls in all the examined subsets but only a higher proportion of CD8 cells in the intermediately differentiated and activated subsets. Residual viremia did not correlate to proportions of naive CD4, CD4 recent thymic emigrants, or activated CD8 T cells. This study demonstrated some degree of T cell imbalance even after 12 years of successful cART. Large longitudinal studies are needed to establish whether these discrete changes have clinical relevance.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871577421&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22614900

SN - 1525-4135

VL - 61

SP - 270

EP - 278

JO - J A I D S

JF - J A I D S

IS - 3

ER -