Apoptosis and apoptosis-associated perturbations of peripheral blood lymphocytes during HIV infection: comparison between AIDS patients and asymptomatic long-term non-progressors |
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Authors: | Moretti S Marcellini S Boschini A Famularo G Santini G Alesse E Steinberg S M Cifone M G Kroemer G De Simone C |
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Institution: | Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Comunità di San Patrignano and Department of Emergency Medicine, Ospedale San Camillo, Rome, Italy. |
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Abstract: | This study was designed to compare the degree of lymphocyte apoptosis and Fas-Fas ligand (FasL) expression in AIDS patients and long-term non-progressors (LTNPs) and correlate these parameters with apoptosis-associated perturbations in lymphocyte function. LTNPs had a lower frequency of apoptotic CD4+ and CD8+ T cells compared with subjects with AIDS. This correlated with a lower frequency of cells expressing Fas and FasL. The frequency of selected lymphocyte populations exhibiting a disrupted mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim) and increased superoxide generation was lower in LTNPs than in patients with AIDS; these abnormalities were associated with lower levels of caspase-1 activation in LTNPs. The results indicate a significantly reduced level of apoptosis and apoptosis-associated parameters in LTNPs than in patients developing AIDS. Based on these findings, a crucial role for mitochondria can be predicted in the process of lymphocyte apoptosis during the evolution of AIDS. |
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Keywords: | long‐term non‐progressors lymphocyte apoptosis mitochondria |
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