Human immunodeficiency virus-specific and CD3-redirected cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity in the human female reproductive tract: Lack of correlation between mucosa and peripheral blood

CD8(+) T cell phenotype and function were assessed in the female reproducti ve tracts (FRTs) of 3 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients who had undergone hysterectomy. FRT cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) lytic acti vity from 1 patient (patient 872) was detected by using CD3-dependent redir ected-lysis assay and HIV-specific assay, concomitant with the presence of CD8(+) cells. In contrast, samples from the 2 other HIV-positive patients ( patients 1356 and 1364), who also were asymptomatic for HIV-associated illn esses, demonstrated no CTL activity in any solid tissue tested by either as say, despite activity by autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM C). This absence of CTL activity was correlated with a relative absence of CD8(+) cells in the FRT, whereas CD8(+) cells were present in PBMC. Thus, C TL activity in PBMC may fail to correlate with mucosal activity. The findin g of CTL activity in the FRT of patient 872 represents the first descriptio n of CTL in upper and lower FRT tissues of an HIV-positive woman.