CD8- ASSOCIATION WITH ANTI-CD4+ BUT NOT WITH ANTI-CD8+ LYMPHOCYTE AUTOANTIBODIES( LYMPHOCYTE DECREASE IN HIV DISEASE )

HIV+ patients form autoantibodies against CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. I t was shown that anti-CD4+ lymphocyte autoantibodies are associated wi th the depletion of CD4+ cells. In the present study we analyzed the r elationship of anti-CD4+ and anti-CD8+ autoantibodies with the CD8+ ly mphocyte decrease commonly observed during HIV disease. IgM and IgG an tibodies as well as complement fragments were determined on the surfac e of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes using double fluorescence flow cytometr y. Anti-CD8+ lymphocyte autoantibodies were found more often in HIV+ h emophilia patients (75/105 = 71%) than HIV- hemophilia patients (13/37 = 35%; p<0.0001). patients with pharyngeal carcinoma (20/44 = 45%; p = 0.002), habitual abortions (3/13 = 23%; p = 0.0009) or healthy indiv iduals (93/223 = 42%; p<0.0001). Anti-CD8+ antibodies mostly of the Ig M type. occurred significantly more frequently than anti-CD4+ antibodi es in healthy controls (p<0.0001). patients with pharyngeal carcinoma (p = 0.0001), or HIV- patients (p = 0.01). In HIV+ patients, however, anti-CD4+ autoantibodies were found more often than anti-CD8+ antibodi es (85 vs 71%: p = 0.02). 70 of 104 (67%) HIV+ patients had autoantibo dies on both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and the IgG/IgM/C3d autoantibod y pattern was identical in 31 (44%) of the patients. Interestingly, pe ripheral blood CD8+ cell counts were significantly associated with ant i-CD4+ (p = 0.01) but net with anti-CD8+ lymphocyte autoantibodies. It is hypothesized that the inhibition and depletion of CD4+ cells by an ti-CD4+ autoantibodies is associated with a loss of regulatory functio ns that leads to a depletion of antiviral cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes.