Pm. Roger et al., Overexpression of Fas/CD95 and Fas-induced apoptosis in a patient with idiopathic CD4(+) T lymphocytopenia, CLIN INF D, 28(5), 1999, pp. 1012-1016
The mechanisms of apoptosis have become better understood, in part with the
discovery of Fas/CD95. We report the case of a patient characterized by a
decreased CD4(+) T cell count and an overexpression of Fas/CD95 resulting i
n apoptosis. A 54-year-old man presented with disseminated Mycobacterium xe
nopi infection. Analysis showed CD4(+) T lymphopenia. Tests for human immun
odeficiency virus (HIV) types 1 and 2 were negative. We compared the patien
t with eight healthy controls and five HIV-infected patients in terms of th
e expression of Fas/CD95 and Fas-mediated apoptosis of peripheral T lymphoc
ytes. The percent of CD95(+) cells in lymphocytes was 98% for the patient,
and the mean percent of CD95(+) cells in lymphocytes +/-SD for HIV-infected
patients and healthy controls was 75% +/- 16% and 36% +/- 26%, respectivel
y. The patient had a high level of spontaneous apoptosis, and apoptotic cel
ls were all identified as being CD4(+) T cells. Monoclonal antibodies to CD
95 dramatically increased apoptosis of CD4(+) T cells exclusively. CD4(+) T
lymphopenia observed in our patient correlated with an overexpression of F
as together with spontaneous and Fas-induced apoptosis.