Response to treatment and disease progression linked to CD4+ T cell surface CC chemokine receptor 5 density in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 vertical infection

The factors governing interindividual variability in disease progression among children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remain unclear. Because it has recently been shown in infected adults that the density of CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) molecules at the surface of nonactivated (human leukocyte antigen HLA]-DR(-)) CD4+ T cells correlates with disease progression, the same correlation was sought in children. HLA-DR(-)CD4+ T cell surface CCR5 density was constant over time and correlated with the bioclinical stage and with the CD4 cell slope observed before antiretroviral treatment. In addition, CCR5 density was negatively correlated with the intensity of the decrease in viremia during antiretroviral therapy and was positively correlated with CD4 cell slope since birth. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that CCR5 density is a key factor governing disease progression in pediatric HIV-1 infection and, thereby, an indicator of prognosis. Moreover, they suggest that therapies aimed at reducing CCR5 accessibility should slow down HIV disease evolution in children.