RESUMEN
Objective:To establish a method using activation-induced markers (AIM) to detect the function of HIV-1-specific CD4 + T cell subsets for evaluating the immune response of HIV-1-specific CD4 + T cells more effectively. Methods:Twelve chronically HIV-1-infected patients without antiviral therapy and six healthy people without HIV-1 infection were enrolled in this study. The function of HIV-1-specific T lymphocytes was detected by AIM and ICS based on polychromatic flow cytometry. The performance of the two methods in assessing HIV-1-specific CD4 + T cell immune response in HIV-1-infected patients was evaluated. Results:The positive rates of HIV-1-specific PD-1 + CD25 + CD4 + T, CD69 + CD200 + CD4 + T, CD69 + ICOS + CD4 + T, CD69 + ICOS + CD8 + T、CD137 + CD69 + CD8 + T、PD-1 + CD25 + CD8 + T and OX40 + PD-1 + CD8 + T cells in all of the HIV-1 patients were 11/12, 8/12, 7/12, 8/12, 8/12, 7/12 and 7/12 using AIM method. ICS results showed that the positive rates of HIV-1-specific IL-2 + CD4 + T, IFN-γ + CD4 + T, TNF-α + CD4 + T, IFN-γ + CD8 + T, TNF-α + CD8 + T and IL-2 + CD8 + T cells were 2/12, 2/12, 0, 12/12, 10/12 and 5/12, respectively. Conclusions:AIM method was more sensitive in antigen-specific CD4 + T cell detection, and could be used as a complementary method to ICS in assessing antigen-specific T cell response.