CD4+ T Cell Depletion, Immune Activation and Increased Production of Regulatory T Cells in the Thymus of HIV-Infected Individuals
Figure 3
Expression of CD69, CD27 and Ki67 on thymocytes in HIV-infected (grey triangles) and uninfected controls (white circles).
HIV-infected subjects showed significantly higher percentages of CD69(a) expression in single positive CD8+ cells (HIV+ 7.9%; HIV- 0.6%; p = 0.02) compared to HIV-uninfected controls. A similar trend toward higher levels of CD27 (b) expression was seen in HIV-infected patients compared to HIV-negative subjects. This was observed in triple negative cells (HIV+ 6.0%; HIV- 0.625%, p = 0.05), in CD3+ double positive cells (HIV+ 4.7%; HIV- 1.25%), and in single positive cells (SP4+ HIV+ 10.2%, HIV- 1.0%; SP8+ HIV+11.0%, HIV-1.6%, p = 0.03). Significantly higher levels of Ki67 thymocytes (c) were detected in triple negative cells (HIV+ 39.5%, HIV- 17.2%, p = 0.04) and in double positive and CD8+ single positive cells of HIV-infected patients compared to uninfected controls (CD3+DP HIV+ 36.35%, HIV-11.45%, p = 0.04; SP4+ HIV+ 5.65%, HIV- 0.45%, p = 0.04; SP8+ HIV+ 15.9%, HIV- 1.15%, p = 0.02).