Voiculescu C, Avramescu C, Balasoiu M, Turculeanu A, Radu E
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Craiova, Romania.
FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 1994 Sep;9(3):217-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.1994.tb00496.x.
This study describes a series of immunological investigations carried out on a group of 37 HIV-seropositive children, aged 3-4 years, in two different stages of disease defined according to the CDC classification; the Primary stage, an asymptomatic one, showing abnormal immune function (P1-Class, B-Subclass) and the Secondary stage, 6-8 months later, in which patients exhibited non-specific findings, i.e., loss of weight, persistent generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly, associated with abnormal immune function (P2-Class, A-Subclass). In both stages, immune function was considered 'abnormal' when lymphopenia and a decrease of the CD4/CD8-cell ratio were found. The phenotypes CD16+/56+ (NK) and HLA-DR+/CD3+ (T-activated?)-positive cells, were assessed by flow cytometry, and the following supplementary systemic humoral markers were investigated in homologus serum samples; total HIV(gp)-antibody, HIV(p24)-antibody and p24-antigen presence. If at the primary stage, no significant difference from to the reference values corresponding to the age was noticed, at the Secondary stage the obtained data is presented separately in two subgroups, namely the A-subgroup characterized by the presence of total HIV(gp)-antibody, the presence of HIV(p24)-antibody and the absence of p24-antigenaemia, and the B-subgroup, where total HIV(gp)-antibody was present, HIV(p24)-antibody absent and p24-antigenaemia present. A significant decrease of CD16+/56+ (NK)-cells was found within the two subgroups. As far as HLA-DR+ from CD(3+)-cells was concerned, only those within the B-subgroup showed a high percentage level, compared to the reference values. The importance of the present findings, linked to immune monitoring of HIV infection among children, is discussed.
本研究描述了对一组37名3至4岁的HIV血清阳性儿童进行的一系列免疫学调查，这些儿童处于根据美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）分类定义的两个不同疾病阶段；初级阶段，即无症状阶段，显示免疫功能异常（P1类，B亚类），以及6至8个月后的次级阶段，此时患者出现非特异性表现，即体重减轻、持续性全身淋巴结肿大和肝脾肿大，并伴有免疫功能异常（P2类，A亚类）。在两个阶段中，当发现淋巴细胞减少和CD4/CD8细胞比值下降时，免疫功能被认为“异常”。通过流式细胞术评估CD16+/56+（自然杀伤细胞）和HLA-DR+/CD3+（T激活？）阳性细胞的表型，并在同源血清样本中研究以下补充性全身体液标志物；总HIV（糖蛋白）抗体、HIV（p24）抗体和p24抗原的存在情况。如果在初级阶段，未发现与相应年龄的参考值有显著差异，那么在次级阶段，所获得的数据分别呈现于两个亚组中，即A亚组，其特征为存在总HIV（糖蛋白）抗体、HIV（p24）抗体且无p24抗原血症，以及B亚组，其中存在总HIV（糖蛋白）抗体、无HIV（p24）抗体且存在p24抗原血症。在两个亚组中均发现CD16+/56+（自然杀伤细胞）显著减少。就CD（3+）细胞中的HLA-DR+而言，与参考值相比，只有B亚组中的细胞显示出高百分比水平。本文讨论了与儿童HIV感染免疫监测相关的当前研究结果的重要性。
