Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In order to characterize the cellular composition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a healthy state and in the setting of chronic pleocytosis associated with HIV-1 (HIV) infection, multi-parameter flow cytometry was used to identify and quantitate cellular phenotypes in CSF derived from HIV-uninfected healthy controls and HIV-infected subjects across a spectrum of disease and treatment. CD4+ T cells were the most frequent CSF population and the CD4:CD8 ratio was significantly increased in the CSF compared to blood (p = 0.0232), suggesting preferential trafficking of CD4+ over CD8+ T cells to this compartment. In contrast, in HIV-infection, CD8+ T cells were the major cellular component of the CSF and were markedly increased compared to HIV-uninfected subjects (p<0.001). As with peripheral blood, the CSF CD4:CD8 ratio was reversed in HIV-infected subjects compared to HIV-uninfected subjects. Monocytes, B cells and NK cells were rare in the CSF in both groups, although absolute counts of CSF NK cells and B cells were significantly increased in HIV-infected subjects (p<0.05). Our studies show that T cells are the major cellular component of the CSF in HIV-infected and uninfected subjects. The CSF pleocytosis characteristic of HIV infection involves all lymphocyte subsets we measured, except for CD4+ T cells, but is comprised primarily of CD8+ T cells. The reduced proportion of CD4+ T cells in the CSF may reflect both HIV-related peripheral loss and changes in trafficking patterns in response to HIV infection in the central nervous system.
Source: PLoS ONE
Authors: Emily L. Ho, Rollie Ronquillo, Hermann Altmeppen, Serena S. Spudich, Richard W. Price, Elizabeth Sinclair
Language: English
Topic: HIV Research and Treatment
Subfield: Virology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,382
Funders: American Academy of Neurology, National Institutes of Health, Center for AIDS Research, University of Washington, University of California, San Francisco, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Research Resources
Awards: Treatment&Pathogenesis of Cerebrospinal Fluid HIV Infect, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, CSF Molecular Marker Study Consortium, CSF & Lymphocyte Dynamics in HIV Infection, G3181090803, G758528517, Central Nervous System Events in Primary HIV Infection, UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research
OpenAlex ID: W2020030021