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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
In Vitro Assay to Evaluate the Impact of Immunoregulatory Pathways on HIV-specific CD4 T Cell Effector Function
Published on: October 15, 2013
Comparison of CD8(+) T-cell subsets in HIV-infected rapid progressor children versus non--rapid progressor children
M E Paul1, W T Shearer, C A Kozinetz
1Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Insights
In pediatric HIV infection, CD8(+) T cells show activation and loss of CD28, correlating with faster disease progression. These changes in immune cells offer insights into HIV management in children.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- CD8(+) T-cell subsets are not well-characterized in pediatric HIV infection, particularly distinguishing rapid progressors (RPs) from non-rapid progressors (non-RPs).
- Understanding these immune cell differences is crucial for assessing disease progression and informing treatment strategies in children living with HIV.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution of specific CD8(+) T-cell subsets in HIV-infected children.
- To correlate these T-cell subset findings with indicators of disease severity, such as immunosuppression (CD4(+) T-cell percentages) and HIV viral load (RNA levels).
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3-color flow cytometry to analyze percentages of CD38(+)DR(+), CD28(+), and CD57(+) CD8(+) T-cell subsets.
- Compared these subsets across rapid progressors (RPs), non-rapid progressors (non-RPs), HIV-exposed but uninfected children, and HIV-unexposed children.
- Correlated T-cell subset data with CD4(+) T-cell percentages and HIV RNA levels, controlling for age using analysis of covariance.
Main Results:
- HIV-exposed and unexposed children showed similar CD8(+) T-cell subset distributions, with minor differences in DR(-)CD38(+)CD8(+) T cells.
- Rapid progressors (RPs) exhibited a higher percentage of DR(+)CD38(+)CD8(+) T cells and increased viremia compared to non-RPs and controls.
- CD28(+)CD8(+) T-cell percentages were lower in HIV-infected children, and CD28(+)CD57(-)CD8(+) T cells positively correlated with CD4(+) T-cell percentages in infected groups.
Conclusions:
- CD8(+) T cells in pediatric HIV infection demonstrate activation (DR and CD38 co-expression) and CD28 loss, with some acquiring CD57.
- These immune cell alterations are linked to the pace of disease progression in children with HIV.
- Findings highlight specific CD8(+) T-cell subset changes as potential biomarkers for disease activity in pediatric HIV.
Background:
CD8(+) T-cell subsets have not been adequately described in HIV-infected (HIV(+)) children classified with respect to disease progression as rapid-progressors (RPs) and non-rapid progressors (non-RPs).
Objective:
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the distribution of CD8(+) T-cell subsets in HIV(+) children and correlate the findings with degree of immunosuppression and HIV viral burden.
Methods:
By means of 3-color flow cytometry, percentages of CD38(+)DR(+), CD28(+), and CD57(+) CD8(+) T-cell subsets were examined in RP (n = 15) and non-RP (n = 36) HIV(+) children and in HIV-exposed but uninfected (n = 11) and HIVunexposed (n = 8) children. The CD8(+) T-cell subsets were correlated with mean CD4(+) T-cell percentages and HIV RNA levels. Analysis of covariance was used for group comparisons for the control of the covariate of age.
Results:
The HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed controls were not different from each other in CD8(+) T-cell subset percentages, except that the DR(-)CD38(+)CD8(+) T-cell percentages were higher in the exposed controls than in the unexposed controls. RPs had a higher mean percentage of DR(+)CD38(+)CD8(+) T cells than non-RPs and both control groups, and RPs had higher viremia than non-RPs. CD38(+)CD8(+) T-cell percentages did not correlate with viral burden as it has been seen to do in HIV(+) adults. Percentages of CD28(+)CD8(+) T cells were lower in HIV-infected children than in controls. There was a positive correlation of percentage of CD28(+)CD57(-)CD8(+) T cells with CD4(+) T-cell percentages in each HIV-infected group.
Conclusion:
CD8(+) T cells become activated (dual expression of DR and CD38) and lose CD28, some acquiring CD57, in relation to rapidity of disease progression in pediatric HIV infection.
