INCREASES IN CD3(-)CD8(-) T-LYMPHOCYTES IN AIDS PATIENTS WITH DISSEMINATED MYCOBACTERIUM-AVIUM-INTRACELLULARE COMPLEX INFECTION()CD4()

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-l)-infected persons frequentl y have increased numbers of T cells bearing the gamma delta T cell rec eptor for antigen (gamma delta TCR), HIV-l-seropositive patients with <100 CD4(+) cells/mm(3) were selected and divided into 9 AIDS-defining illness groups, The percentages of CD4(+), CD8(+), or double-negative CD4(-)CD8(-) (DN) T cells (most of the latter expressing the gamma de lta TCR) for 8 symptomatic groups were compared with those for a refer ence group of asymptomatic HIV-l-infected patients, DN T cells were in creased only in patients with disseminated Mycobacterium avium-intrace llulare complex (MAC) infection, toxoplasmosis, or Kaposi's sarcoma. M ultivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the percentage of DN T cells was a better predictor of MAC infection than was the per centage of CD4(+) T cells. The increased percentage of DN T cells migh t have important implications for the understanding of gamma delta T c ell physiology and for the early diagnosis and management of MAC infec tions in AIDS patients.