Open AccessPhenotypical and functional evaluation of CD8 + /S6F1 + T lymphocytes in haemophiliac individuals with HIV‐1 infection
Author(s) -
CAVALLIN F.,
TRALDI A.,
ZAMBELLO* R.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1993.tb06496.x
Subject(s) - immunology , phenotype , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , cd8 , virology , cd4 cd8 ratio , biology , medicine , lymphocyte subsets , immune system , genetics , gene
SUMMARY In this study we investigated the distribution of the S6F1 antigen, an epitope of the lymphocyte function‐associated antigen, on CD8 + T lymphocytes in a series of 15 HIV‐1 + and 20 HIV‐1 ‐ haemophiliac patients. MoAbs recognizing the S6K1 antigen have been claimed to distinguish between killer electors (brightly S6F1 + stained) and suppressor cells (dimly S6K1 + stained) within the CD8 + lymphoid population. In addition, we tried to find a correlation between the spontaneous in vitro immunoglobulin synthesis from patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes and the pattern of S6F1 expression. Although the total number of double‐positive CD8 + /S6F1 + cells was similar in both HIV‐1 + and HIV‐1 ‐ haemophiliac patients, a significant increase in the CD8 + /S6F1 + population bright versus dim was documented in HIV‐1‐infected with respect to HIV‐1 haemophiliacs (bright/dim ratio 3·97 ± 0·61 versus 0·75 ± 0·1, respectively, P < 0·005). This finding was correlated to a significant increase in spontaneous in vitro immunoglobulin production in HIV‐1 + subjects compared with control haemophiliacs ( P < 0·005). Purified CD8 + lymphocytes from HIV‐1 + subjects showed a reduced suppressor activity on mitogen‐induced immunoglobulin production. Taken together, these data suggest that HIV‐1 infection favours the generation of CD8 + /S6F1 + bright cells with putative cytotoxic‐associated function, leading to a progressive reduction in the number of CD8 + /S6F1 + dim suppressor lymphocytes. This phenomenon may contribute to the polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia present in HIV‐1 + haemophiliac patients.