Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor increases CD4+ T cell counts of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients receiving stable, highly active antiretroviral therapy

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 181; no. 3; p. 1148
• Main Authors: Hassan Aladdin, Ullum, Henrik, Susanne Dam Nielsen, Espersen, Christina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.03.2000
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613

Thirty human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with CD4+ T cell counts <350 cells/mm3 who had received stable, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 24 weeks were randomized to receive either placebo or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 0.3 mg/mL 3 times a week) for 12 weeks. Blood samples were collected at specified time points. G-CSF treatment enhanced the total lymphocyte count (P=.002) and increased CD3+ (P=.005), CD4+ (P=.03), and CD8+ (P=.004) T cell counts as well as numbers of CD3-CD16+CD56+ NK cells (P=.001). The increases in CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts resulted from increases in CD45RO+ memory T cells and cells expressing the CD38 activation marker. Lymphocyte proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin and Candida antigen decreased, whereas NK cell activity and plasma HIV RNA did not change during G-CSF treatment. After 24 weeks, all immune parameters had returned to baseline values. This study suggests that G-CSF treatment of HIV-infected patients receiving stable HAART increases the concentration of CD4+, CD8+, and NK cells without inducing changes in the virus load.