The correlation between HLA-DR or CD38 expression in CD8(+)T cells and CD4(+)T cells count in treatment-naive HIV/AIDS patients

Objective: To analyze the correlation between CD4(+)T cell count and HLA-DR or CD38 expression on peripheral CD8(+)T cells in treatment-naive Chinese HIV/AIDS patients.

Methods: A total of 471 treatment-naive HIV-infected patients and 53 healthy volunteers were enrolled. HLA-DR or CD38 expression on peripheral CD8(+)T cells, CD4(+)T cell count, naive CD4(+)T cell subsets and CD28 expression on T cells were measured by flow cytometry. Plasma HIV RNA load was quantified by real-time PCR (COBAS TaqMan RT-PCR). Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation test were used for statistical analysis.

Results: CD38 expression intensity on CD8(+)T cells was negatively correlated with CD4(+)T cell count (r = -0.53, P < 0.001) and naive CD4(+)T cell count (r = -0.48, P < 0.001). CD38 expression on CD8(+)T cells also displayed significantly negative correlation with CD28 expression on CD8(+)T cells (r = -0.46, P < 0.001). HLA-DR expression on CD8(+)T cells did not show significant correlation with CD4(+)T cell count. Only weak positive correlation was found between CD38 intensity on CD8(+)T cells and plasma HIV RNA load.

Conclusions: Compared with HLA-DR, CD38 expression on CD8(+)T cells shows more significant negative correlation with CD4(+)T cell count in treatment-naive patients. CD38 and HLA-DR may play different roles on the persistent immune activation in HIV infection.