Continuous improvement in the immune system of HIV-infected children on prolonged antiretroviral therapy

Adriana Weinberg, Ruth Dickover, Paula Britto, Chengcheng Hu, Julie Patterson-Bartlett, Joyce Kraimer, Howard Gutzman, William T. Shearer, Mobeen Rathore, Ross McKinney, Katherine Knapp, Jill Utech, Sandra Jones, James McCauley, Maureen Haak, Rolando Viani, Anita Darcey, Carole Mathison, Yong I.I. Choi, Jean HurwitzJuliana Simonetti, Maxine Frere, Susan Champion, Leonard B. Weiner, Kathie A. Contello, Wendy Holz, Maureen Famiglietti, Gwendolyn B. Scott, Charles D. Mitchell, Liset Taybo, Sylvia Willumsen, Ayesha Mirza, Ana Alvarez, Saniyyah Mahmoudi, Kathy Thoma, Mark Abzug, Emily Barr, Suzanne Paul, Sandra Burchett, Catherine Kneut, Nancy Calles, Chivon Jackson, Mary E. Paul, Diane W. Wara, Deborah Trevithick, Nagamah Deygoo, William Borkowsky, Sulachni Chandwani, Siham Akleh, Eleanor Jiménez, Midnela Acevedo, Isis Moraima Burgos, Lizbeth Fábregas, Irma L. Febo Rodriguez, Ruth E. Santos Otero, Maritza Cruz, Lisette Lugo, Katherine Luzuriaga

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The goal of HAART is to promote reconstitution of CD4 + T cells and other immune responses. We evaluated the extent and the kinetics of immune reconstitution in HIV-infected children over 144 weeks of successful HAART. Methods: Thirty-seven children receiving their first HAART regimen had plasma HIV RNA; T cells and subpopulations; T-cell rearrangement excision circles (TREC) DNA; Candida, HIVCD4 and HIVCD8 enzyme-linked immunospot measured at regular intervals. Results: Plasma HIV RNA became undetectable in 81% of patients at 24 weeks and remained undetectable in 77% at 144 weeks. In contrast, CD4+% continuously increased. Distribution of T-cell subpopulations changed rapidly during the first 48 weeks of HAART and more slowly thereafter. At 144 weeks, total, naive and activated CD4+% and naive CD8+% of HIV-infected children were not significantly different from those of healthy age-matched controls, whereas total and activated CD8+% remained elevated. CD4+ and CD8+ TREC content increased only during the first 48 weeks of HAART. They positively correlated with each other and with total CD4+%, naive CD4+% and naive CD8+%. Candida and HIVCD4 enzyme-linked immunospot increased over time reaching peak values at 48 weeks and 144 weeks, respectively. HIVCD8 enzyme-linked immunospot decreased in magnitude over 144 weeks of HAART but retained its breadth. Baseline CD4+% positively correlated with CD4+% and with functional immune reconstitution at week 144, whereas baseline TREC correlated with TREC at week 144. Conclusion: HIV-infected children acquired normal distribution of CD4+ T cells and other subpopulations and recovered CD4-mediated HIV immunity after 144 weeks of HAART.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2267-2277
Number of pages11
JournalAIDS
Volume22
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Candida
  • Cell-mediated immunity
  • Children
  • HIV
  • Highly active antiretroviral therapy
  • T-cell rearrangement excision circle
  • T-cell subpopulations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

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