Four Different Markers for Activated Cell Mediated Immunity Compared with the Clinical Stages of HIV Infection

Summary Activated cell-mediated immunity, as defined by four markers, has been studied in HIV-infected patients, and compared with the clinical stages of HIV infection. All the values obtained with such markers (interferon-y expressed on lymphocytes, soluble CD8, soluble IL-2 receptor, and serum neopterin) were observed to increase with the progressive stages of HIV infection, with the highest figures occurring in stage IV-C patients. Since the replication of HIV depend strictly on the stimulation of infected cells, T-cell activation in vitro might contribute to a further spread of HIV-1 in infected subjects. Thus permanent or multiple stimulation of the cellular immune system could be an important cofactor in the progression of this syndrome.