CD4+ Lymphocyte Depletion in HIV-Infected Patients is Associated with gp120-lmmunoglobulin- Complement Attachment to CD4+ Cells

Abstract

The mechanism of CD4+ lymphocyte depletion, which is the main immunological feature in HIV-infected patients, is unclear. We investigated whether gp 120-immunoglobulin-complement complexes on the surface of CD4+ cells might be involved in the elimination of CD4+ lymphocytes. The results obtained in 63 HIV-infected patients show that gpl20 is attached to a variable degree to CD4+ cells. Importantly, the percentage of CD4+gp120+ lymphocytes is inversely associated with CD4+ lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood (p = 0.0004). CD4+gp120+ blood lymphocytes bind IgM (p = 0.0027) and IgG antibodies (p = 0.0001) and complement (p = 0.0005). These results suggest that immune complex-mediated cell elimination is an important mechanism of CD4+ cell depletion in patients with AIDS.

CD8+ Lymphocyte Decrease in HIV Disease: Association with Anti-CD4+ but Not with Anti-CD8+ Lymphocyte Autoantibodies

“…In previous studies we reported that the occurrence of autoantibody-coated CD4i lymphocytes in the peripheral blood is associated with a decrease of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes [3,4,7]. In this study we analyzed the rele vance of anti-CD4i and anti-CD8+ lymphocyte autoantibo dies for CD8i cell depletion.…”

“…We have previously demonstrated that a depletion of CD4+ cells is associated with the occurrence of anti-F(ab) serum antibodies [1,2], immunoglobulin attachment to CD4+ lymphocytes [3], and the presence of gpl20-IgG complement complexes on CD4+ lymphocytes [4]. Howev er, autoantibodies were also detected on CD8+ lymphocytes Dr …”