Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication causes lymphoid tissue (LT) fibrosis, which causes CD4 + T-cell depletion. It is unknown whether people who spontaneously control HIV replication have LT fibrosis. We measured LT fibrosis and CD4 + T cells in 25 HIV controllers, 10 noncontrollers, 45 HIV-positive individuals receiving therapy, and 10 HIV-negative individuals. Controllers had significant LT fibrosis and CD4 + T-cell depletion, similar to noncontrollers, but the so-called Berlin patient (in whom HIV infection was cured) had near normal LT. Thus, LT fibrosis occurs in all HIV-infected subjects, and current therapy does not reverse it. Reversal of fibrosis during a curative intervention suggests that ongoing low-level virus production may maintain LT fibrosis.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1068-1075 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 211 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 1 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2014 The Author. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- HIV
- HIV controllers
- fibrosis