Analysis on CD4~+CD25~+Tcell in HCV infection and HCV/HIV co-infection

  Objective   To investigate the characteristic of cellular immune responses in chronic HCV patients and HCV/HIV coinfection patients from China.

  Methods   Human peripheral blood monocytes were isolated.The frequency and percentage of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes and CD4⁺CD25⁺T lymphocytes were determined by FACS.

  Results   The higher proportion of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T lymphocytes was found in chronic HCV infection than that of normal control(19.2% > 13.8%, P < 0.105), while significant lower percentage was found in HCV/HIV coinfection than normal control(6.9% < 13.8%, P < 0.001)or chronic HCV infection(P < 0.001).

  Conclusion   The individuals have a strong CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T cells proliferation against HCV infection while a week CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T cells against HCV/HIV co-infection.It suggests that CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T lymphocytes plays an immune regulatory role in HCV persistence.HCV/HIV co-infection would impair the CD4⁺ CD25⁺ T lymphocytes, the immune regulatory function would be affected.