Presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus–1–Specific CD4 and CD8 Cellular Immune Responses in Children with Full or Partial Virus Suppression

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 188; no. 6; pp. 873 - 882
• Main Authors: Papasavvas, Emmanouil, Sandberg, Johan K., Rutstein, Richard, Moore, Elizabeth C., Mackiewicz, Agnieszka, Thiel, Brian, Pistilli, Maxwell, June, Rayford R., Jordan, Kimberly A., Gross, Robert, Maino, Vernon C., Nixon, Douglas F., Montaner, Luis J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 15.09.2003; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; AIDS; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Antiretrovirals; Antivirals; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Child; Child health services; HIV; HIV 1; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - immunology; HIV/AIDS; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunologic Memory; Immunophenotyping; Infections; Infectious diseases; Lymphocyte Activation; Medical sciences; RNA; RNA, Viral - blood; T lymphocytes; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral Load; Viruses; Human; Immune response; Immunophenotype; HIV-1 virus; Retroviridae; Cellular immunity; Lentivirus; Cell subpopulation; Virus; Chemotherapy; Cohort study; T-Lymphocyte; Antiviral; Human immunodeficiency virus; Child
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/377645

The present study assessed antiviral T cell immune responses in 48 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected children with a stable or decreasing CD4+ T cell counts and different levels of viral control, in the presence or absence of antiretroviral therapy. Children with full (<40 copies/mL) or partial (<50,000 copies/mL) virus suppression and with a history of stable CD4+ T cell counts had significantly increased levels of anti-HIV CD4+ T cell lymphoproliferative responses, lower levels of CD38+, and higher CD8+/CD28+ T cell percentage, compared with those in treated children with a lack of virus suppression (>50,000 copies/mL). Levels of anti-HIV CD8+ T cell activity, although higher in treated children with a lack of virus suppression, were not significantly different between the groups. Although levels of anti-HIV CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses were not associated, these levels of responses were associated with the percentage of specific T cell subsets. Overall, a history of stable CD4+ T cell counts, as a result of therapy that imparted full or partial virus suppression, was associated with increased levels of anti-HIV CD4+ T helper responses and decreased T cell activation