Apoptosis of CD57+ and CD57- lymphocytes in the lung and blood of HIV-infected subjects

Karen L. Wood, Kenneth S. Knox, Yana Wang, Richard B. Day, Carol Schnizlein-Bick, Homer L. Twigg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Patients infected with HIV frequently have a CD8+ lymphocytic alveolitis consisting of HIV-specific CD8+CD57- cytotoxic T lymphocytes. However, in late stage disease, there is expansion of a CD8+CD57+ population with suppressive properties. We examined role of lymphocyte apoptosis in the expansion of the CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes in late stage HIV in the lung and blood compartment in human subjects. Fas was expressed on virtually all lung lymphocytes from HIV-infected and normal subjects. Fas ligand expression was increased in HIV infection in both CD8+CD57+ and CD8+CD57- lymphocytes, though a significantly greater percentage of CD8+CD57+ cells expressed this marker. CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes in normal and HIV-infected subjects underwent more apoptosis than CD8+CD57- cells. However, in late stage HIV infection, the percentage of CD8+CD57+ cells undergoing apoptosis declined. These data demonstrate that under normal conditions CD8+CD57+ cells appear destined to undergo programmed cell death. Expansion of suppressive CD8+CD57+ cells in the lungs of HIV-infected subjects with advanced disease may be due to the failure of this normal regulatory process.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)294-301
Number of pages8
JournalClinical Immunology
Volume117
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Apoptosis
  • Human
  • Lung
  • T lymphocytes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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