CD4+ lymphocyte count in African patients co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis

Article Abstract:

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment appears to improve CD4+ cell counts in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. CD4+ cells are components of the immune system. A decrease in the number of CD4+ cells is associated with disease progression in HIV-positive patients. CD4+ cell counts before, during and after three months of treatment were compared in both HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients with TB. Altogether 104 HIV-positive TB patients and 241 HIV-negative TB patients were examined. On admission to the hospital, the HIV-positive TB patients had median CD4+ cell counts of 230 while the HIV-negative patients had median counts of 630. Increases in CD4+ cells occurred in both groups during and after three months of treatment. However, the counts rose more quickly in the HIV-negative patients. After one month of TB treatment, the HIV-negative patients had a median CD4+ cell count of 800 while the HIV-positive patients reached a median of 270. The median CD4+ cell counts for HIV-negative patients after three months of treatment was 820 compared to 380 for the HIV-positive patients.

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Characterization of conformation and dynamics of CD4 fragment (81-92) TYICEVEDQKEE and its benzylated derivative by 1H NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling: relevance of conformation to biological function

Article Abstract:

Modification of a fragment of the CD4 protein with by administering bulky chemical groups appears to change the structure of the fragment so that it can better inhibit the activity of HIV. The CD4 protein, which is found on the surface of the immune system's helper T-cells, is bound by the gp120 protein found on the surface of HIV. Researchers determined the structures of both the normal and the modified fragments using nuclear magnetic resonance and computer-aided analysis. They observed that the two bulky benzyl groups used in the modification appeared to cause tighter turning in the structure and different orientation of certain amino-acid groups. These changes may allow for unique binding of the fragment to the gp120 protein. The benzylated fragment has been shown to be more effective than the normal fragment in preventing the fusion of T-cells, or syncytium formation, that occurs during HIV infection.

Analysis, Peptides

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Mycobacterium avium and purified protein derivative-specific cytotoxicity mediated by CD4+ lymphocytes from healthy HIV-Seropositive and -seronegative individuals

Article Abstract:

A reduced number of CD4+ T cells (or memory cells) or their inability to kill mycobacterium harbored in macrophages may be cause mycobacterium infection in HIV patients. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) and mycobacterium vaium (M. avium) are the most common causes of opportunistic infections in HIV seropositive patients making HIV the greatest risk factor for tuberculosis. The cytotoxic T-cell activity from the blood of ten healthy HIV-positive individuals decreased substantially demonstrating that susceptibility to mycobacterial infections in HIV patients is caused by reduced CD4 cells or memory cells' inability to react to appropriate antigens.

Mycobacterial infections, Mycobacterium infections

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