Coinfection with Hepatitis C Virus Increases Lymphocyte Apoptosis in HIV-Infected Patients

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Abstract
Lower CD4 cell counts and reduced CD4+ cell count gains after initiating HAART in HIV-infected patients who also are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), compared with HIV-monoinfected individuals, have been reported [1–6]. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which HCV could cause CD4+ T cell depletion is so far unclear. In HIV infection, increased lymphocyte apoptosis has been proposed as a mechanism for CD4+ T cell loss [7]. On the other hand, infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with HCV seems to correlate with Fas-mediated apoptosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C [8]. Accordingly, it is reasonable to presume that HCV and HIV might act synergistically, thereby increasing lymphocyte apoptosis in coinfected patients. To prove this hypothesis, we measured and compared the levels of apoptosis in T lymphocytes in HIV-monoinfected and HIV-HCV–coinfected subjects.