LOW RELATIVE FREQUENCIES OF CD26(-TERM NONPROGRESSING HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE 1-INFECTED SUBJECTS() CD4(+) CELLS IN LONG)

A broad antibody panel was used for immunophenotyping of human immunod eficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients who were long-term no nprogressors (LTNP). The LTNP were compared with patients in the early phase of infection and patients who had progressed to advanced immuno deficiency. Changes in CD8(+) subset distribution were observed mainly at acquisition of HIV-1 infection, whereas CD4(+) subset changes appe ared during progression of HIV-1 infection. The decreasing levels of C D4(+) cells were characterized by an increasing frequency of cells exp ressing the activation markers HLA-Dr and CD45RO but not the CD28 surf ace antigen. The LTNP exhibited significant changes compared to HIV-ne gative patients in almost all markers. Compared to patients in the ear ly phase of infection, the only difference was a relatively lower freq uency of CD4(+) cells expressing CD26 among the LTNP. The results show that HIV-l-infected persons who have no signs of immunodeficiency des pite many years of infection have an immunophenotypic pattern that is substantially different from that of noninfected persons. Despite the long duration of infection, the LTNP exhibit a pattern similar to that of newly infected persons, with the exception of lower expression of CD26 on CD4(+) cells.