Quantitative Alterations of the Functionally Distinct Subsets of CD4 and CD8 T Lymphocytes in Asymptomatic HIV Infection

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Abstract
We determined the representation in asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of the CD45RO+ and CD45RO − CD45RA+ subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, CD11b+ and CD11b− subsets of CD8+ T cells, and activated populations of these subsets. Three-color flow cytometry was used to quantitate the different CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations in 116 asymptomatic HIV+ individuals. In asymptomatic HIV+ infection there was a significant relative increase in the CD4+ CD45RO+ and CD8+ CD45RO+ T cell subsets, which express CD38 and DR antigens, that correlated strongly with the decline in total CD4+ T cells. In addition, we found a loss of CD4+ CD45RO− and CD8+ CD45RO− T cells associated with progression of HIV infection (as measured by the decline in total CD4+ T cells). Studies presented here also indicate that, with the progression of asymptomatic HIV infection. CD8+ CD11b− T lymphocytes showed a significant decreases, whereas CD8+ CD11b+ T cells were significantly increased. This study demonstrates that the progression of HIV infection in asymptomatic patients involves the increase in CD45RO+ subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, the increase in CD8+ CD11b+ T cells, the decrease in CD45RO − CD45RA+ subsets of CD4 and CD8 T cells, and the decline in CD8+ CD11b− T cells.

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