OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential contribution of the thymus to CD4+ T-lymphocyte increases in HIV-infected patients receiving intermittent interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy. DESIGN:Fifteen HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral regimens who were enrolled in a study of intermittent IL-2 therapy and were willing to undergo serial thymic computed tomography (CT) were prospectively studied. METHODS: Thymic CT was performed before and approximately 6 and 12-17 months after intermittent IL-2 therapy was started. Scans were graded in a blinded manner. Changes in lymphocyte subpopulations were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Statistically significant increases in CD4+ T lymphocytes occurred with IL-2 administration, with a preferential increase in naive relative to memory CD4+ T cells. Despite this increase in naive CD4+ T cells, overall there was a modest decrease in thymic volume observed during the study period. No correlation was found between changes in thymic volume indices and total, naive, or memory CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that the profound CD4+ T-lymphocyte increases seen with intermittent IL-2 administration are not associated with increases in thymic volume and more likely are due to peripheral expansion rather than increased thymic output.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential contribution of the thymus to CD4+ T-lymphocyte increases in HIV-infectedpatients receiving intermittent interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy. DESIGN: Fifteen HIV-infectedpatients treated with antiretroviral regimens who were enrolled in a study of intermittent IL-2 therapy and were willing to undergo serial thymic computed tomography (CT) were prospectively studied. METHODS: Thymic CT was performed before and approximately 6 and 12-17 months after intermittent IL-2 therapy was started. Scans were graded in a blinded manner. Changes in lymphocyte subpopulations were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Statistically significant increases in CD4+ T lymphocytes occurred with IL-2 administration, with a preferential increase in naive relative to memory CD4+ T cells. Despite this increase in naive CD4+ T cells, overall there was a modest decrease in thymic volume observed during the study period. No correlation was found between changes in thymic volume indices and total, naive, or memory CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that the profound CD4+ T-lymphocyte increases seen with intermittent IL-2 administration are not associated with increases in thymic volume and more likely are due to peripheral expansion rather than increased thymic output.
Authors: Frances T Hakim; Sarfraz A Memon; Rosemarie Cepeda; Elizabeth C Jones; Catherine K Chow; Claude Kasten-Sportes; Jeanne Odom; Barbara A Vance; Barbara L Christensen; Crystal L Mackall; Ronald E Gress Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2005-03-17 Impact factor: 14.808
Authors: Michele Di Mascio; Irini Sereti; Lynn T Matthews; Ven Natarajan; Joseph Adelsberger; Richard Lempicki; Christian Yoder; Elizabeth Jones; Catherine Chow; Julia A Metcalf; Igor A Sidorov; Dimiter S Dimitrov; Michael A Polis; Joseph A Kovacs Journal: J Virol Date: 2006-03 Impact factor: 5.103
Authors: Joseph A Kovacs; Richard A Lempicki; Igor A Sidorov; Joseph W Adelsberger; Irini Sereti; William Sachau; Grace Kelly; Julia A Metcalf; Richard T Davey; Judith Falloon; Michael A Polis; Jorge Tavel; Randy Stevens; Laurie Lambert; Douglas A Hosack; Marjorie Bosche; Haleem J Issaq; Stephen D Fox; Susan Leitman; Michael W Baseler; Henry Masur; Michele Di Mascio; Dimiter S Dimitrov; H Clifford Lane Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2005-07-14 Impact factor: 14.808