Evaluation of cellular immune responses in HIV-infected people and AIDS patients

Objective: To investigate the cellular immune state of HIV-infected people and AIDS patients by testing the alteration of peripheral lymphocyte subsets counts. Methods: After white blood cell counts, expressions of CD3+?CD4+?CD8+CD38+?CD48RO+?CD45RA+?CD62L+ in lymphocytes were investigated in HIV-infected people and AIDS patients using immunofluorescence staining method. Results: The CD3+ count of AIDS patients was lower than that of healthy people (P0.05). The HIV-infected people and AIDS patients had lower CD4+ and higher CD8+ and higher CD8+ than normal controls. CD4/CD8 was inverse significantly (P0.01). CD8+CD38+ and CD45RO+ and in HIV-infected people and AIDS patients were markedly increased compared with normal controls, while CD45RA+ decreased (P0.01). CD62L+ in AIDS patients reduced notably compared to that of healthy controls (P0.01). Conclusions: Some immune factors such as lower naive T cell, excessive activation and apoptosis are involved in the immunopathogenesis of HIV.