Functional exhaustion of CD4<sup>+</sup>T cells in HIV/HCV coinfected HAART-treated patients

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common among HIV-positive patients, up to 50% of them being coinfected in Russia. While highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) suppresses HIV replication and restores the immune system HIV-infected subjects, HCV coinfection interferes CD4 + T cell regeneration increases risk patients’ morbidity mortality. During HAART, HIVinfection progression restoration efficiency largely depend on activation exhaustion. This study determined level activation, exhaustion, cytokine production cells obtained from peripheral blood HAART-treated HIV/HCV monoinfected subjects. The comprised 11 individuals 10 patients receiving HAART for more than two years, a control group volunteers without signs or infections. Compared healthy controls, had an increased frequency activated CD38 HLA-DR lymphocytes (p < 0.05), higher exhaustion according TIGIT expression density per greater proportion interferon-gamma (IFNγ)-producing following 0.05). IFNγ-producing donors’ positively correlated (R = 0.514, p 0.01). Despite having large number lymphocytes, average IFNγ by was significantly lower that controls did not > However, negative correlation established between -0.400, letter also found inversely correlate counts -0.598, These data suggest leads pronounced functional may aggravate course HAART.