Restored antioxidant capacity parallels the immunologic and virologic improvement in children with perinatal human immunodeficiency virus infection receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

CD3(+)CD4(+) T lymphocyte numbers, viral load, and serum antioxidant capaci ty were evaluated in 20 children with perinatal human immunodeficiency viru s (HIV) infection one month (T = -1) and one day (T = 0) before and one mon th (T = 1) and two months (T = 2) after a treatment switch to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Antioxidant capacity (mu mol/l) was evalua ted by measuring the cuprous ion deriving from a known amount of cupric ion . Compared to control values (998 +/- 113 mu mol/l), values in HIV-infected children were lower before HAART (T = -1, 848 +/- 211 mu mol/L, P = 0.008; T = 0, 732 +/- 131 mu mol/L, P < 0.0001), but similar during HAART (T = 1, 914 +/- 121 mu mol/L, P = 0.089; T = 2; 957 +/- 155 mu mol/L, P = 0.528; T = 1 and T = 2 vs T = 0, P < 0.0001). Immunologic and virologic improvement paralleled the restored antioxidant capacity. HAART may restore antioxidan t capacity suppressing HN, which inhibits antioxidant capacity. A positive feedback may be triggered since restored antioxidant capacity counterbalanc es the oxidative stress, which enhances lymphocyte apoptosis and HIV replic ation. (C) 2001 Academic Press.