Restoration of Toxoplasma gondii-specific immune responses in patients with AIDS starting HAART

AIDS. 2008 Oct 18;22(16):2087-96

Restoration of Toxoplasma gondii-specific immune responses in patients with AIDS starting HAART

Furco A, Carmagnat M, Chevret S, Garin YJ, Pavie J, De Castro N, Charron D, Derouin F, Rabian C, Molina JM.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint-Louis Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris and University of Paris 7, Paris Diderot, Paris, France.

OBJECTIVE: To study the kinetics and identify factors associated with Toxoplasma-specific immune responses in patients with AIDS starting antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: A prospective study of 38 HIV-infected patients seropositive for Toxoplasma who started antiretroviral therapy with CD4 T cells less than 200 cells/microl. T-cell and B-cell phenotypes, anti-Toxoplasma antibodies titers, Th-1 and Th-2 cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferative responses (LPRs) to Toxoplasma were assessed over 12 months. RESULTS: Median CD4 cell count increased from 122 cells/microl at baseline to 260 cells/microl at 12 months, and the incidence of a positive LPR from 18.4 to 70.5%. A Toxoplasma IgG titer more than 150 IU/ml was the only baseline variable associated with a positive LPR (hazard ratio: 4.6, P = 0.003). Among time-dependent covariates, the number of effector memory (CD45RA-CCR7-) CD4 T cells was associated with a positive LPR (P < 0.02) and the number of terminally differentiated (CD45RA+CCR7-) CD8 T cells was associated with in-vitro production of gamma-IFN (P < 0.008). CONCLUSION: Among patients with low CD4 cell counts, high anti-Toxoplasma IgG titers were associated with LPR to Toxoplasma antigen. After starting antiretroviral therapy, the number of effector memory CD4 T cells and terminally differentiated CD8 T cells were associated with the restoration of Toxoplasma LPR and gamma-IFN production, respectively.

Publication Types:
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PMID: 18832872 [PubMed - in process]