poster presentaion

Acknowledgements We express our appreciation to Mr. DomprehAlbert , senior biomedical scientist at the KATH (Komf o Anokye Teaching Hospital) serology laboratory for his technical assistance in all the laboratory work, and all the staff of the KATH Chest clinic, Immunohaematology laboratory, and the Blood Bank. Conclusion This study has demonstrated that progression to disease in HIV infection correlates with decline in CD8+ T-cell counts, and highlights the importance of considering in CD8+ T-cell count as an important indicator of disease progression in HIV1-infection. Introduction It has been reported that CD8+ T-Lymphocytes play a protective role in HIV infection (Yang et al., 1997), as the activity of strong CD8+ T-cell response has been implicated for the initial decline in viremia after exposure and in long term non progress ors (LTNPs), and exposed but uninfected individuals (ESNs) (Propato et al., 2001). The presence of strong HIV-specific CTLs h ave been found in children who did not progress to AIDS within the first year of birth, whereas those who progressed to AIDS had a lower CTL response (Buseyne et al., 2002). A high CD8+T-cell count has been associated with slow progression to disease (Chevret et al., 1992) . However, it has not been adopted for routin e management of people living with HIV/AIDS Methodology and Study Design Two hundred adult subjects were recruited into th e study, fifty haematologically normal healthy individuals, one hundred and fifty HIV positive subjects subdivided into three groups (Asymptomatic, Symptomatic, and HAART), based on the WHO clinical staging (WHO, 2007) , and antiretroviral therapy history. T-Lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry using the FACSCalibur flow cytometer(Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems, San Jose, Calif .). The differences between means of two groups were compared by student unpaired t-test using SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS Inc. Chicago. IL. USA) Results The highest mean CD8+ T-cell count was observed in the asymptomatic group (1413.00±923.227 cells/µl) , being significantly higher (P= 0.005), than the symptomatic group (954.06±624.425 cells/µl). Further, the asymptomatic group had an insignificantly higher (P=0.091) mean CD8+ T-cell count than the HAART group (1149±581 cells/µl). However, there was an insignificantly higher (P=0.108) CD8+ T-cell count in the HAART group compared with the symptomatic group. The control group had the lowest CD8+ T-cell count (684.34±250.585 cells/µl) (Fig .2).The highest mean CD4+ T -cell count was observed in the control group (1019.96±324.357cells/µl). The CD4+ T-cell count was significantly (P= 0<001) higher in the asymptomatic group (504.36±242.388 cells/µl) compared with the symptomatic group(153.52±163.768 cells/µl), and insignificantly (P= 0.148) lower compared with the HAART group. (577.42±258.853 cells/µl). Discussion The highest CD8+ T-cell count in the asymptomatics indicates highest activation of the immune cells during this phase of HIV infection(fig.1). It is evident that CD8+ T-cells have the ability to suppress HIV at the asymptomatic phase without any external intervention,. This ability is lost during progression to disease (fig. 3), and has been attributed greatly to rapid mutation rate of the HIV (Klenerman et al., 2002). The HAART group having significantly higher CD8+ T-cell count than the symptomatic group could be due to maintenance of some CD8+ T-cell antiviral activity as mutation rate of the viruses reduces from th e antireplication action of the drugs (Skiestet al., 2003). CD8+ T-L ymphocytes count in People Livin g With HIV/ AIDS, at the Asymptomatic Phase, Symptomatic Phase and During Antiretroviral Therapy . M.T . Agyei-Fr empong and S.K. Kyei Contact: [email protected] Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. Abstract It has been reported that CD8+ T-Lymphocytes play a protective role in HIV infection. However, it has not been adopted for routine management of people living with HIV/AIDS. The dynamics of CD8+ T- Lymphocyte in HIV infected individuals at various stages of the dise ase will be essential for better therapies in the future if not now. This project was designed to determine the absolute cell counts of CD4+, and CD8+ T-L ymphocytes at various stages of HIV-infection using flow cytometry. The absolute mean CD8+ T-cell count was significantly higher (P= 0.005) in the asymptomatic group compared with the symptomatic group, but insignificantly higher (P=0.019) compared with the HAART group. Morever, CD4+ T-cell count was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the asymptomatic group compared with the symptomatic group , but insignificantly lower (P=0.148) with the HAART group. Progression to disease was associated with decline in the CD8+ T-cell counts. This study reveals the importance of considering CD8+ T-cell count as an important indicator of disease progression in HIV-infection. References 1. BuseyneBusey ne, F., Le Ch enadec, J., Corre, B., Porrot, F., Burgard, M., Rouzioux, C., Blanche, S., Ma yaux, M.J., Riviere, Y. (2002). Inverse correlation between memory Gag-specific c ytotoxic T lymphocytes and viral replication in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children. J. Infect. Dis. 186:1589-1596. 2. Chev retS, Roqui nH, GanneP, L efrè reJ-J.( 1992). P rogn osti c val ue of an elevated CD8 lymphocyte count in HIV infection. Results of a prospective study of 152 asymptomatic HIV-positive individuals. AIDS, 6:1349–1352. 3. Klene rman, P ., Wu, Y. , P hillips Phill ip, R . HIV : curren t opini on in escapology. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 2002, 5:408-413. 4. Propato, A., S chiaff ella, E., Vicen zi, E., Francavi lla, V., Baloni, L., Paroli, M., Finocchi, L., Tanigaki, N., Ghezzi, S., Ferrara, R., Chesnut, R., Livingston, B., Sette, A., Paganelli, R., Aiuti, F., Poli, G., Barnaba Barnaba,V.. Spreading of HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell repertoire in long-term nonprogressor san d its role in the control of viral load and disease activity. Hum. Immunol. 2001, 62:561-576. 5. Ski estDJ, Crosby C. (2003) .Sur viv al is prol onged by hi ghl y acti ve antiretroviral therapy in AIDS patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. AIDS. Aug 15;17(12):1787-1793. 6. WHO. (200 7). Case defi nit ion of HIV for s urve ill ance and revis ed clinical staging and immunological classification of HIV˗related disease in adults and children. Geneva: P15. 7. Yang A.G., Ch en JD, BaiX. (1997).Inactivation of HIV-1 chemokine co-receptor CXCR-4 by a novel intrakinestr ategy. Nat Med. 3:1110- 1116. Fig 2. Distribution of mean absolute CD4+ and CD8+ T -cells among various study groups. F ig.3.Distribution ofmeanabsoluteCD4+andCD8 +T-cellsin HIV positive subjects 30% 27% 17% 26% CD3+ T˗CELLS ASYMPTOMATIC HAART SYMPTOMATIC CONTROL F ig.1. CD3+ T -cell proliferation in the study groups.

poster presentaion

Documents