Proportion of HIV-1 Infected CD8+CD4- T Lymphocytes In Vivo

Title: Proportion of HIV-1 Infected CD8+CD4- T Lymphocytes In Vivo

Volume: 6 Issue: 6

Author(s): Naveed Gulzar, Bilge Diker, Jennifer Mihowich, Jose Deschatelets, Mary-Ellen Arsenault, Nancy Lamoureux, Donald W. Cameron, John E. Kim and Karen F.T. Copeland

Affiliation:

Keywords: CD8+ T cell, HIV-1, infection, viral load

Abstract: The proportion and significance of HIV-1 infection of CD8+ T-cells was examined in a patient cohort of HIV-1 seropositive (n=28) and seronegative individuals (n=4). It was hypothesized that irrespective of the clinical status of the patients, productively HIV-1 infected CD8+ T-cells would be found and these cells would contribute to the plasma viral load in vivo. Flow cytometric analysis using fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies, RT-PCR analysis using HIV-1pol specific primers, and quantification of HIV-1 viral transcripts by ex vivo culture of isolated CD8+ T-cells were employed. In 22 of the 28 patient samples analyzed, a significantly higher proportion of cells with expression of CD8+HIV-1gag+ than of CD4+HIV-1gag+ T-cells was observed (36.9% ± 10.0% vs 26.4% ± 13.1% respectively, p < 0.01). No correlation was observed between absolute CD4 counts, CD8 counts, plasma viral load and CD8+ T cell infection. RT-PCR analysis indicated the presence of HIV-1 transcripts in the ex vivo isolated CD8+ T-cell population. Ex vivo isolated CD8+ T-cells demonstrated productive infection over time. We conclude, with three lines of evidence detecting and measuring HIV-1 infection of CD8+ T-lymphocytes, that this cellular target and reservoir may be central to HIV-1 pathogenesis.

Cite this article as:

Gulzar Naveed, Diker Bilge, Mihowich Jennifer, Deschatelets Jose, Arsenault Mary-Ellen, Lamoureux Nancy, Cameron W. Donald, Kim E. John and Copeland F.T. Karen, Proportion of HIV-1 Infected CD8+CD4- T Lymphocytes In Vivo, Current HIV Research 2008; 6 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016208786501544