Profile of T cell immune responses in HIV-infected children from Uganda.

Ssewanyana, Isaac; Elrefaei, Mohamed; Dorsey, Grant; Ruel, Theodore; Jones, Norman G; Gasasira, Anne; Kamya, Moses; Nakiwala, Justine et al. · J Infect Dis · 2007

prospective_cohort · Level II

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Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) immunopathogenesis in children remains poorly understood. We assessed T cell immune activation in antiretroviral therapy-naive children in Uganda (n=154). Increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activation strongly correlated with decreased CD4+ T cell percentage. Interestingly, no correlation between plasma HIV RNA level and T cell activation was observed after controlling for CD4+ T cell count. In addition, the presence of Gag-specific CD4+ T helper responses was associated with increased HIV-specific CD8+ T cells. Understanding the balance between immune activation and T cell immunity in HIV-infected children may provide further insights into the mechanisms leading to effective immune control.

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