Comparative study on some systemic humoral and cellular immune markers in only HIV or HIV and hepatitis B infected
C Voiculescu1, M Bălăşoiu, A Turculeanu
1Faculty of Medicine Craiova, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Craiova, Romania.
Insights
Children with co-infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) show more severe immune dysfunction than those with HIV alone. Progression to AIDS-related complex (ARC) involves decreased HIV antibodies and increased p24 antigen levels, especially in co-infected individuals.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Immunology
- Viral Co-infections
- Immunodeficiency
Background:
- Investigating the impact of co-infection on immune parameters in children.
- Understanding the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections.
- Assessing immune system changes in asymptomatic children with single or co-infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare immune system parameters in asymptomatic children with HIV alone versus HIV/HBV co-infection.
- To evaluate changes in HIV-specific antibodies and p24 antigen levels during the progression to AIDS-related complex (ARC).
- To explore the diagnostic and predictive value of immune markers in pediatric HIV and HBV infections.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of immunoglobulin levels and lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+, CD16+, CD19+) in three groups of children (controls, HIV-infected, HIV/HBV co-infected).
- Assessment of T lymphocyte responsiveness to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and natural killer (NK) cell activity.
- Monitoring of anti-p24 HIV antibodies, Western Blot (WB) patterns, and free p24 antigen levels in serum samples from patients progressing to ARC.
Main Results:
- Asymptomatic children with HIV/HBV co-infection exhibited more significant immune disorders compared to those with HIV infection only.
- Progression to ARC in both HIV and HIV/HBV infected groups was associated with decreased anti-p24 HIV antibodies and increased free p24 antigen.
- HIV/HBV co-infected patients showed higher levels of p24 antigen compared to HIV-infected patients during ARC progression.
Conclusions:
- HIV/HBV co-infection exacerbates immune dysfunction in children compared to HIV infection alone.
- Changes in HIV antibody status and p24 antigen levels are critical indicators of disease progression to ARC.
- Co-infection status influences the magnitude of viral antigen presence during disease progression, highlighting the need for comprehensive monitoring.
Abstract:
Three different groups of asymptomatic children, aged from 12 to 24 months (30 subjects per each group), i.e. controls, only HIV, or HIV/hepatitis B virus (HBV) double infected, were studied, as concerned the following systemic immune parameters: immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD) levels; absolute numbers of blood CD+4, CD+8, CD+16 and CD+19 cells; phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-blast responsiveness of T lymphocytes; natural killer (NK) cell activity--as tested by means of cytotoxicity assays; per cent suppression of PHA-dependent T cell blastogenesis in the presence of concanavalin A (Con A) selected T suppressor (Ts) cells. On the other hand, in 15 ARC-shifting cases belonging to HIV, and HIV/HBV groups, respectively, a second serum sample was collected and searched comparatively with the corresponding first serum sample, as regarded: presence of total and anti-p24 HIV antibodies, patterns of Western Blot (WB), as well as amounts of free p24-HIV antigen. In asymptomatic double HIV/HBV infected subjects, some immune disorders occurred, at a more significant degree, as compared to only HIV-infected. Once the shift toward ARC being installed, in both infected groups a decrease of anti-p24 HIV antibody presence, disappearance of corresponding band in WB confirmation test, as well as presence of free p24 antigen in serum, were noticed. However, greater amounts of p24 antigen in HIV/HBV infected, as compared to only HIV infected patients, were found. Some considerations about diagnostic and predictive value of presented data are discussed.
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