Evidence for circulating activated cytotoxic T cells in HIV-infected subjects before the onset of opportunistic infections

The activity of both cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells were measured cross-sectionally in 43 subjects seropositive for HIV, in 27 HIV- blood donors and in 24 HIV- persons from the Outpatients Clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. CTL activity was evaluated using the HL-60 cells coated with OKT3 as the targets and freshly separated peripheral blood lymphocytes as the effectors. In 20 out of 43 HIV+ subjects, CTL activity was significantly enhanced in comparison to the HIV- subjects. This lytic activity correlated positively with the percentages of CD3+ HLA-DR+, of CD8+ CR3- and of CD57+ CD16- lymphocytes, and was greatly reduced after elimination of CD8+, of HLA-DR+ or of CD57+ cells. The median CTL activity seemed to increase from CDC group II to CDC group IV (Centers for Disease Control classification), but to return back to control levels in those patients with a history of opportunistic infections. NK function in HIV+ subjects was not significantly different from that in the blood donors. In seropositive patients, NK activity correlated positively with the percentages of both CD16+ CD57+ and of CD8+ CR3+ cells and was strongly diminished after elimination of CD16+ or of CD57+ cells. There was no significant change in NK function according to the clinical stage. The data show that circulating CD8+ HLA-DR+ CD57+ T cells in HIV+ subjects are activated cytotoxic T cells and point to progressive (over) activation of this T cell compartment until the onset of opportunistic infections.