CD4+CD25+CD127 regulatory cells play multiple roles in maintaining HIV-1 p24 production in patients on long-term treatment: HIV-1 p24-producing cells and suppression of anti-HIV immunity.

BACKGROUND: A major question when attempting to eradicate and treat HIV-1 infection is how to reactivate latent proviruses. Stimulating HIV-1-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) has been shown to facilitate the elimination of the latent viral reservoir after viral reactivation. Regulatory T (Treg) cells are known to be capable of lowering both HIV-specific immunoreactions and general immune activation during HIV-1 infection. It was hypothesized that the depletion of Treg cells could increase the HIV-1-specific cytolytic T lymphocyte response and reactivate HIV-1 p24 production. METHODS: Treg cells were isolated by isolation kit according to the surface marker of Treg cells. Real-time PCR method was used to quantify HIV-1 DNA. P24 antigens in the cell culture supernatant was done by ELISA. Cells activation and HIV specific HIV-1 CD8+ T cells were analyses using a FACSCalibur flow cytometer and CELLQUEST software. RESULTS: This study included both HIV-infected patients who were antiviral treatment-naïve and patients with sustained viral responses to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 1 or 5 years. It was found that the HIV-DNA levels in Treg cells were approximately 10-fold higher than those in non-Treg CD4+ cells and that the depletion of Treg cells could enhance the frequency of HIV-1-specific CTL and immune activation after 5 years of effective ART. CONCLUSIONS: CD4+CD25+CD127 regulatory cells play multiple roles in maintaining HIV-1 p24 production in long-term ART patients. Treg cells may be a target for eliminating the latent HIV reservoir after effective long-term ART.

[Study on quality of life of asymptomatic HIV infected persons with traditional Chinese medicine].

OBJECTIVE: Study on quality of life of asymptomatic HIV infected persons with traditional Chinese medical, which can provide the clinical basis for improving the quality of life. METHOD: This study applied a randomized, double-blind, and placeb-parallel control designed method to select 1 200 persons in the asymptomatic period of HIV infection as the subjects. The subjects were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group at the ratio of about 2:1. According to the results of monthly differential diagnosis of TCM, the test group and the control group were given homologue Chinese drugs preparations and model Chinese drugs. The total study period was 18 months. Using PRO scale and the world health organization AIDS determination of quality of life short scale form (WHOQOL-HIV-BREF) to investigate asymptomatic HIV infected persons, according to different times, we calculated the total score and each domain score of quality of life of the treatment group and control group, we did statistical analysis. RESULT: Form the PRO scale,we can see that the treatment group showed a trend of stability, compared with the control group with significant statistical difference (P < 0.05) after 6 months; from the WHOQOL-HIV scale analysis, we can see that compared with before treatment, the quality of life of the treatment group was increased, the difference was significant (P < 0.05), but the quality of life of the control quality of life was decreased, the differences was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dialectical therapy of Chinese medicine can significantly improve the patient's quality of life, which can provide the basis for the prevention and control policy formulation and implementation with asymptomatic HIV infected persons.

Association between X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 codon 399 and 194 polymorphisms and lung cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

Genetic variations in DNA repair genes are thought to modify DNA repair capacity and suggested to be related to cancer risk. However, epidemiological results have been inconsistent. In this meta-analysis, we assessed reported studies of association between polymorphisms of X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1) codon 399 and 194, and lung cancer risk. We found decreased lung cancer risk among subjects carrying XRCC1 codon 194 Arg/Trp genotype [odds ratio (OR)=0.88, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.79-0.97], using 4848 cases and 6592 controls from 16 studies. There was no association between lung cancer risk and XRCC1 codon 399 polymorphism in total population, when stratified by source of control, we found a protective effect of the XRCC1 codon 399 Gln/Gln and Arg/Gln or Gln/Gln polymorphisms for lung cancer on the basis of population control (OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.58-0.92; OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.97, respectively). Data indicated that certain XRCC1 codon 399 and 194 variant may affect the susceptibility of lung cancer. Recommendations for further studies include pooling of individual data to facilitate evaluation of multigenic effects and detailed analysis of effect modification by environmental exposure.