Association of CD8+T Lymphocyte Subsets with the Most Commonly Used Markers to Monitor HIV Type 1 Infection in Children Treated with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

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Abstract
In contrast to adults, there is no information about children concerning the effects of the new antiretroviral therapy on the chronic activation and expansion of CD8+ T cells. We have investigated the relationship between blood CD8+ T cell subsets, with percent CD4+ cells (%CD4), percent CD8+ cells (%CD8), and plasma viral load (VL), in 39 vertically HIV-1-infected children receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (mean age, 7.6 years; range, 2-15.6 years). CD8+ subsets were examined by three-color multiparametric flow cytometry, and VL was quantified by standard assays. There was a strong positive correlation between activated CD8+ T cells and VL. An increase in memory and memory-activated CD8+ T cells correlated with increased VL, whereas nonactivated memory cells and CD28+CD8+ T cells correlated negatively with VL. Naive and effector cells did not correlate with VL, although the CD8+CD45RA-CD62L- subset correlated with increased VL. Activated CD8+ T cells did not correlate with %CD4, but an increase in memory-activated and effector CD8+ T cells was associated with lower %CD4. Increased naive CD8+ and CD28+CD8+ T cells showed a positive correlation with %CD4 and a negative correlation with %CD8. In conclusion, in HIV-1-infected children receiving HAART, the activation of CD8+ T cells is associated with high VL, whereas CD8+CD28+ and nonactivated CD8+ memory cells are associated with lower viral load. Naive CD8+ and CD28+CD8+ T cells are associated with an improved immunological status.

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