Important note: Information in this article was accurate in October 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.AIDSWEEKLY Plus; October 7, 2002
Michael Greer, Senior Medical Writer
"T cells expressing Vgamma9/Vdelta2 display lytic and proliferative responses against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected cells and release antiviral soluble factors," explained Federico Martini and colleagues at the Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Rome.
Although antiretroviral therapy restores Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T-cell function lost during infection, structured treatment interruptions (STI) negate this benefit, Martini and coauthors found.
The researchers assessed gammadelta T-cell activity in HIV patients during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) STIs. During the resulting rise in plasma viremia, the number of circulating gammadelta T cells dropped significantly, they said.
Effector gammadelta T cells were the hardest hit subset during STIs, study data showed. This resulted in significant T cell anergy, manifesting as a sharp reduction in gamma interferon production in response to viral antigens.
Gammadelta T-cell counts and antiviral activity rose to normal levels after reinitiation of HAART (Acute human immunodeficiency virus replication causes a rapid and persistent impairment of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells in chronically infected patients undergoing structured treatment interruption. J Infect Dis 2002 Sep 15;186(6):847-50.
"These observations indicate that Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cells are activated early after active HIV replication but are rapidly lost when viremia is not controlled," Martini and colleagues concluded.
The corresponding author for this report is Federico Martini, Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Padiglione Del Vecchio, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani" IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, 00149 Rome, Italy. E-mail: martini@inmi.it.
Key points reported in this study include:
This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.
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