Central Memory CD4 Cells Are an Early Indicator of Immune Reconstitution in HIV/AIDS Patients with Anti-Retroviral Treatment

Abstract

The number of central memory cells among the CD4+ T cells and the of activation of CD8+ T cells is believed to be a better indicator of immune restoration in patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) than the absolute numbers of CD4⁺ and CD8+ T cells alone. In the current study, we investigated the changes in the CD4⁺ T cell subsets and their association with immune reconstitution and immune activation at early stages of ART. A prospective study was performed in 21 asymptomatic treatment-naive HIV-infected patients with CD4⁺ T cells less than 350 cells/μl. Blood samples were evaluated at base line, and at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks’ post antiretroviral therapy (ART). A biphasic increase of CD4⁺ T cells, central memory CD4 cells (CD4 CM) and CD4 naïve cells were observed after ART, with a rapid increase before week 4. Change in CD4 CM at week 4 positively correlated with the change in CD4⁺ T cells at weeks 12 post ART, and negatively correlated with the change in CD8⁺CD38⁺ T cells at weeks 12 post ART. We conclude that CD4 CM cells are a major contributor to early immune reconstitution in treatment-naive HIV-infected patients with delayed ART, and might be an early indicator for immune reconstitution.

• Central memory CD4 cells
• Immune reconstitution
• ART
• Chronic HIV infection

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by funds from the National Key Technologies R&D Programme under the Eleventh Five-year Plan, China (Grant number 2008ZX10001-006)） and from Beijing Municipality Major Science and Technology Projects, China (Grant number D09050703590901). We would like to thank Dr. Tao Dong for her critical reading of this manuscript.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.