The objectives of our study were to analyse the frequency and functional status of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells and the expression of non-specific activation markers on CD8+ T cells in HIV+ patients. We examined 28 HIV+ patients, including 13 patients not receiving therapy complex antiretroviral therapy (cART) using ELISpot assay and flow cytometry with intracellular and MHC tetramer staining.
The results suggested that the alterations of HIV-specific immunity are not influenced by the therapy of HIV infection; whereas, the non-specific chronic immune activation is down-regulated by cART.