Analysis of the adult thymus in reconstitution of T lymphocytes in HIV-1 infection

A key question in understanding the status of the immune system in HIV-1 infection is whether the adult thymus contributes to reconstitution of peripheral T lymphocytes. We analyzed the thymus in adult patients who died of HIV-1 infection. In addition, we studied the clinical course of HIV-1 infecti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of clinical investigation 1999-02, Vol.103 (4), p.453-460
Main Authors: Haynes, B F, Hale, L P, Weinhold, K J, Patel, D D, Liao, H X, Bressler, P B, Jones, D M, Demarest, J F, Gebhard-Mitchell, K, Haase, A T, Bartlett, J A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
AIDS/HIV
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - cytology
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology
Female
HIV Infections - complications
HIV Infections - immunology
HIV Infections - pathology
HIV Infections - virology
HIV-1 - genetics
HIV-1 - immunology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Thymectomy
Thymus Gland - cytology
Thymus Gland - immunology
Thymus Gland - pathology
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Summary:A key question in understanding the status of the immune system in HIV-1 infection is whether the adult thymus contributes to reconstitution of peripheral T lymphocytes. We analyzed the thymus in adult patients who died of HIV-1 infection. In addition, we studied the clinical course of HIV-1 infection in three patients thymectomized for myasthenia gravis and determined the effect of antiretroviral therapy on CD4(+) T cells. We found that five of seven patients had thymus tissue at autopsy and that all thymuses identified had inflammatory infiltrates surrounding lymphodepleted thymic epithelium. Two of seven patients also had areas of thymopoiesis; one of these patients had peripheral blood CD4(+) T-cell levels of
ISSN:0021-9738
DOI:10.1172/JCI5201