Immune Responses In HIV - 1 Discordant Couples in Western Kenya

Abstract

Background: A few people remain persistently exposure to HIV - 1 via sexual or systemic seronegative despite frequent routes. The mechanism of this apparent resistance to HIV - 1 infection is not clearly known. Objective: This study assessed cellular immune responses to HIV - 1 in terms of CD8+,CD4+T, CD56+/16+ and CD19+ cell proliferation by Th1ITh2 cytokine expression concordant positive/negative in heterosexual and function as indicated HIV - 1 discordant and couples. Design: Cross sectional prospective study. Study population: Sixty-six (66) subjects comprising of discordant, concordant positive (untreated with CD4 ~ 250-cells/J.ll) and concordant negative controls were recruited from western Kenya. Method: Blood samples were drawn in EDTA vacuitaners antecubital vein. Complete by venipuncture blood count (CBC), lymphocyte phenotypes cytokine levels analysis were done to assess cellular and functional responsesto HIV - 1 using Beckman" coulter and Facscalibur" of and immune respectively. Results: Discordant uninfected females had mean, cell s/ul,, CD4+ (727), CD8+ (1035), CD56+/16+ (295) CD19+ (298) and ThlTs (1.4) compared to concordant negative females CD4+ (923) CD8+ (591), CD56+/16+ (857), CD19+ (352) and ThlTs (1.6) respectively. Discordant index females had higher %CD4 and ThlTs than concordant positive females 28.0%, 18.3% p=0.024, and 0.7, 0.4 p=0.016 respectively but lower CD8+ 711.0, 1131 p=0.007. Female partners had higher CD19+counts and % than index females and males. Mean lymphocyte, were positively correlated with HIV - 1 RNA and cytokine ceII s/ul., levels (r=0.371, r=0.800)in discordant individuals but negatively correlated in concordant positive participants. Conclusion: These findings indicate CD4+, CD8+, CD56+/16+ and CD19+ immune specific and non-specific responses to chronic exposure to HIV - 1 and possible immunological protection among discordant individuals. Studies using HIV -1 specific antigen and lymphocytes targets, in larger sample sized study is recommended.