[The subpopulation CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients correlated with disease progression].

AIM: To explore the subpopulation of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); regulatory T cells (Treg), CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients and study its correlation with other immune indicators.

METHODS: We enrolled 68 cases of HIV/AIDS patients without anti-HIV treatment [29 cases of long-term non-progressive (LTNP) group, 27 cases of typical progressive HIV infection group and 12 cases of AIDS group] and 20 healthy individuals as a control group. Blood samples of these cases were analyzed by flow cytometry after immunofluorescent staining to determine the levels of CD4(+); T cells, CD8(+); T cells, NK cells and CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg.

RESULTS: Except CD8(+); T cells, the levels of CD4(+); T, NK cells and CD4(+);/CD8(+); in peripheral blood of HIV/AIDS patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); With the progression of disease, the percentage and absolute count of CD4(+);T cells, the absolute counts of CD8(+);T cells and NK cells, and CD4(+);/CD8(+); T cell ratio in the LTNP group, HIV group and AIDS group decreased gradually, while the percentage of CD8(+);T cells increased gradually. Our multiple comparison analysis revealed that the percentages of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); Treg and CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg in CD4(+); T cells were significantly different among groups (P<0.05). With the progression of disease, the percentages of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+); Treg and CD4(+); CD25(+); CD127(low/-); Treg increased gradually; in addition, the difference in the absolute count of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg was not statistically significant between LTNP group and healthy control group(P>0.05), so was between HIV and AIDS groups (P>0.05); no significant difference was found in every other two groups (P<0.05); the absolute count of CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg decreased gradually.

CONCLUSION: CD4(+); CD25(+); Foxp3(+);/CD127(low/-); Treg may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of persistent HIV infection.