Infection by different HIV-1 subtypes (B and C) results in a similar immune activation profile despite distinct immune backgrounds

We compared the immune activation profile of 46 HIV-negative and 75 HIV-pos itive Israelis infected with HIV-1 subtype B, with 85 HIV-negative and 102 HIV-positive Ethiopian immigrants to Israel, who were infected with HIV sub type C. The HIV-negative Ethiopians had exceedingly high blood levels of eo sinophils, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and p75s tumor-necrosis factor receptors (p75sTNFR); secretion of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10 by peripheral bloo d mononuclear cells (PBMC); proportion of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR cells within CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) T-cell subsets; and proportion of CD45RO(+) CD4(+) cells; while having significantly lower secretion of inter feron-gamma (IFN-gamma) by PBMC and percentage of CD45RA(+) CD4(+) and CD28 (+) CD8(+) cells. HIV infection in both populations was associated with red uced IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 secretion, number of CD28(+) and CD45RA() CD8(+) cells, and increased number of HLA-DR+-CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD8(+) cells, and CD45RO(+) CD8(+) cells. Thus, infection with HIV-1 subtypes B an d C of studied Israelis and Ethiopians, respectively, results in a similar immune activation profile at all stages of the infection when living in the same environment, despite the striking different immune profile observed i n the HIV-negative Israeli and Ethiopian populations. Together with our pre vious observations, this indicates that HIV subtype is not a major determin ant in the natural course of HIV infection.