Functional versus phenotypic analysis of t cells in subjects seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus: A prospective study of in vitro responses to cryptococcus neoformans

Jennifer F. Hoy, Dorothy E. Lewis, Geraldine G. Miller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

We performed a prospective study of 50 subjects at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to determine if assays of antigen-specific T cell function provide an earlier indication of future progression to AIDS or a better assessment of immune function than do current methods of evaluation. We measured in vitro T cell responses to Cryptococcus neoformans and tetanus toxoid, response to mitogens, HIV p24 antigene-mia, and clinical parameters. Progression to AIDS was significantly associated with loss of T cell response to cryptococci (P =.015), HIV antigenemia (P =.001), and low CD4+ cell numbers (P =.001). Most importantly, we found that loss of antigen-specific responses to cryptococci and tetanus can occur before changes in CD4 cell number. Abnormal response to mitogens and marked depletion of CD4+ cells were late signs of progressive HIV infection. Measurement of antigen-specific T cell function may be useful for assessing the efficacy of antiviral therapy in HIV infection before onset of symptoms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1071-1078
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume158
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1988

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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