Differences in antigen-specific CD4+ responses to opportunistic infections in HIV infection.

ABSTRACT: HIV-infected individuals with severe immunodeficiency are at risk of opportunistic infection (OI). Tuberculosis (TB) may occur without substantial immune suppression suggesting an early and sustained adverse impact of HIV on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific cell mediated immunity (CMI). This prospective observational cohort study aimed to observe differences in OI-specific and MTB-specific CMI that might underlie this. Using polychromatic flow cytometry, we compared CD4+ responses to MTB, cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Candida albicans in individuals with and without HIV infection. MTB-specific CD4+ T-cells were more polyfunctional than virus specific (CMV/EBV) CD4+ T-cells which predominantly secreted IFN-gamma (IFN-γ) only. There was a reduced frequency of I

SUBMITTER: Pollock KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4578516 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature