Selective Expansion of γδ T Cells among Liver-Derived Lymphocytes of AIDS Patients with DisseminatedMycobacterium aviumComplex Infection

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate a potential expansion of γδ T cells in AIDS patients in response to disseminated infection withMycobacterium aviumcomplex. Liver-derived lymphocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes were obtained from 5 AIDS patients with disseminatedMycobacterium aviumcomplex infection and 10 HIV-infected patients without mycobacterial disease. Control patients included 14 HIV-negative patients without bacterial disease and 4 HIV-negative patients with disseminatedMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection. The percentage of γδ T cells among CD3+T lymphocytes was determined by flow cytometry. γδ T cells were markedly enhanced in liver biopsies but not among peripheral blood lymphocytes of AIDS patients with disseminatedM. aviumcomplex infection (median liver γδ/CD3: 26%) as compared to HIV-infected control patients without mycobacterial disease (median liver γδ/CD3: 2.3%;P< 0,005). Disseminated infection withM. tuberculosisin HIV-negative patients leads to a similar expansion of γδ T cells among liver-derived CD3+lymphocytes (median γδ/CD3: 15.5%) as compared to control patients without mycobacterial disease (median γδ/CD3: 2.15%;P< 0,001).