Altered coexpression of lectin-like receptors CD94 and CD161 on NK and T cells in HIV patients.

HIV patients either on highly active antiviral therapy (HAART) or therapy naive were analyzed for their CD56 phenotype and cytokine production in comparison to healthy controls (HC). Both NK cell populations (CD56(dim) and CD56(bright)) are found to be present in all groups with selectively decreased CD56(dim) NK cells in HAART naive patients. Patients on HAART exhibited significantly diminished numbers of CD161+CD56(dim) NK cells. CD56(dim) were equally potent in producing IFNgamma in all three groups. The number of TNFalpha+CD56(bright) NK cells from patients on HAART and TNFalpha+CD56(dim) NK cells from HAART naive patients was significantly reduced as compared to healthy controls. In summary our data revealed that functional capacities and coexpression patterns of lectin-like receptors on lymphocytes are differentially affected in HIV patients depending on the state of therapy (under HAART or HAART naive) or the cell type (NK or T cells), respectively.