CD8-ACTIVATION AT HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 SEROCONVERSION - DEVELOPMENT OF HLA-DR+ CD38- CD8+ CELLS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSEQUENT STABLE CD4+ CELL LEVELS( LYMPHOCYTE)
Jv. Giorgi et al., CD8-ACTIVATION AT HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 SEROCONVERSION - DEVELOPMENT OF HLA-DR+ CD38- CD8+ CELLS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSEQUENT STABLE CD4+ CELL LEVELS( LYMPHOCYTE), The Journal of infectious diseases, 170(4), 1994, pp. 775-781
Subsets of activated CD8(+) lymphocytes defined by membrane expression
of the activation antigens HLA-DR and CD38 were counted by three-colo
r flow cytometry in homosexual men who subsequently became seropositiv
e for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV). Profound CD8(+) cell
activation was seen in all subjects at seroconversion and 6 and 12 mon
ths later. The HLA-DR(+) CD38(+) CD8(+) cell population, which has pot
ent direct HIV cytotoxic T cell activity, was markedly elevated at ser
oconversion in all subjects. In some men, these levels remained elevat
ed throughout the first year of infection. During the next 5 years, th
ese men had stable CD4(+) cell levels, whereas the others did not. Lon
g-term survivors (seropositive for 9 years, > 800 CD4(+) cells/mm(3))
also had elevated levels of this subset, despite few other activated C
D8(+) cells. Thus, selective elevation of HLA-DR(+) CD38(-) CD8(+) cel
ls was a marker of subsequent stable HIV disease.