DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e3282f2589b
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PMID: 18097219
Issn Print: 0269-9370
Publication Date: 2008/01/11
The role of the thymus in HIV infection: a 10 year perspective
Excerpt
Despite substantial progress over the last 10 years the exact role of the thymus in HIV-1 infection and HIV-1 pathogenesis is still under investigation. Much has been learned of the types of cells in the thymus that are targets for CXCR4 and CCR5 HIV-1 isolates. In addition, it has become clear that even the adult thymus continues to function, although at a much lower level in uninfected patients, and is able to export naive T cells to the periphery. Changes in thymus function can be evaluated by several methods, including determination of naive T-cell subsets using multicolor flow cytometry and T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC), as well as thymus size and metabolic labeling assays [1–5]. Although each of these measures has its advantages and drawbacks [6], combinations of these parameters provide a picture of the contribution of thymic output and homeostatic proliferative expansion (HPE) to peripheral blood T-cell homeostasis. The importance of the thymus in regenerating a functional immune system has been clearly shown after chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation and highly active retroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV infection [5,7–10]. The data published during the last 10 years also show that a possible increase in thymic output has an instrumental role in the immunopathogenesis that takes place during the clinically asymptomatic phase of HIV-1 infection.
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