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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
New Tools to Expand Regulatory T Cells from HIV-1-infected Individuals
Published on: May 30, 2013
No evidence for proliferation in the blood CD4+ T-cell pool during HIV-1 infection and triple combination therapy
Objective:
To evaluate the role of cell proliferation in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) dynamics during HIV infection and potent antiretroviral therapy including protease inhibitors.
Design:
Transverse study of 150 patients at different stages of infection. Longitudinal study of 50 patients on triple combination antiretroviral therapy with 9-month follow-up.
Methods:
Ex vivo incubation of fresh PBL with the DNA biosynthetic marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Flow cytometric analysis of cell phenotypes and BrdU incorporation. Parallel determination of plasma virus load and CD4+ cell counts.
Results:
Percentages of BrdU+ B and T lymphocytes found in patients with asymptomatic HIV infection were not different from the low values found in HIV-seronegative controls, and were not correlated with the CD4+ cell count. DNA synthesis increased significantly only during acute opportunistic infections occurring in patients with high plasma viral load and fewer than 100 x 10(6) CD4+ cells/l. Triple combination therapy induced a decrease of plasma virus load and a rise of CD4+ cell counts, whereas BrdU incorporation remained low or decreased.
Conclusion:
Proliferation of peripheral blood T cells observed at late stages of HIV infection corresponds to a response to opportunistic infections. Apart from these particular cases, proliferation in this compartment does not appear as a critical parameter of CD4+ cell kinetics during chronic HIV infection and potent therapy.
