Selective Expansion of a CD3+CD4‐CD8‐ Subpopulation in Clinical Groups Associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Abstract

T lymphocytes (CD3+) without expression of CD4/CD8 surface antigens have recently been described in the thymus and peripheral lymphoid organs. We have conducted a retrospective analysis of the literature, seeking quantitative variations in this T-cell subset in normal heterosexual controls, and in risk, pre-AIDS and AIDS groups, by means of the subtraction [CD3-(CD4+CD8)] and the ratio 100 .times. [CD3-(CD4+CD8)]/CD3. Dramatic T lymphocytopaenia in AIDS patients and the progressive decay of CD4+ lymphocytes and increase of CD8+ lymphocytes throughout the clinical spectrum of HIV infection have been confirmed. Furthermore, we hereby demonstrate the selective expansion of CD3+CD4-CD8- lymphocytes, directly related to the clinical state in different clinical groups of infected people when compared with controls (P < 0.05). The inverse relationship between the CD3+CD4-CD8- cell subset and other mature T-cell subsets, mainly CD4+ (r= -0.49; P < 0.01), suggests the existence of mutual regulatory interactions. These in vivo results, which are in agreement with those obtained in long-term infected cultures, cannot be explained by direct cytopathic effects of the virus on the very few infected cells. Thus, the implication of the expansion of these functional precursors on the prognosis for infected people, and the paradoxes of the immunodeficiency, such as lymphoproliferation and autoimmune features, are discussed.