Characteristics of CD8+ stem memory T cells in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection during antiretroviral therapy / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the characteristics of CD8+ stem memory T cells (CD8+Tscm) in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection before and after antiretroviral therapy (ART) and to analyze their associations with progression of HIV-1 infection.Methods Thirty-six patients with chronic HIV-1 infection and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study.Flow cytometry was performed to detect the percentages and absolute numbers of CD8+Tscm in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection before and after antiretroviral therapy (ART) as well as in healthy subjects.Correlation analysis was used to demonstrate the relationships between CD8+Tscm and markers for progression of HIV-1 infection (CD4+T cell count, HIV-1 viral load and level of activated T cells).Results The percentages and the absolute numbers of CD8+Tscm in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection had no significant change before and after ART.They were respectively positively correlated with the percentages and the absolute numbers of CD4+Tscm.The percentage of CD8+Tscm was proportional to the percentage of CD8+ central memory T cells (CD8+Tcm), but was inversely proportional to the percentage of CD8+ effector memory T cells (CD8+Tem).In addition, the percentages of CD8+Tscm in patients with HIV-1 infection were negatively correlated with the viral loads before ART.Conclusion CD8+Tscm are responsible for maintaining the homeostasis of other CD8+T cell subsets.CD8+Tscm play an important role in inhibiting viral replication.