CD8(-) T-CELLS IN VERTICALLY HIV-INFECTED CHILDREN() CD28()

To evaluate whether vertical HIV infection interferes with the express ion of CD28 on T lymphocytes, 25 HIV-infected children and 29 seroreve rted children born to HIV+ mothers were studied. The percentage of CD2 8(-) cells among CD8(+) T lymphocytes was higher in HIV-infected child ren than in controls (P < 0.001). In fact, in HIV-infected children, t his percentage was elevated from the first year of life, while in heal thy seroreverted children, the proportion of CD28(-) cells among CD8() cells rose progressively with age (r = 0.49; P = 0.008). In HIV+ chi ldren, the CD8(+) CD28(-), but not CD8(+) CD28(+) cell proportion was significantly correlated with immunological markers of disease progres sion, such as CD4(+) cell loss (r = -0.65; P < 0.001) and the level of in vitro spontaneous lymphocyte apoptosis (r = 0.53; P = 0.03).