Sex-based differences in T lymphocyte responses in HIV-1-seropositive individuals

Abstract

Sex-based differences in the levels of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) RNA in plasma could be associated with differences in the strength of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cell responses. CD8+ effector responses in 18 men and 15 women were measured 0-2 years (time A) and 5-7 years (time B) after seroconversion. CD8+ effector responses were seen in 7 (39%) of 18 men and 2 (13%) of 15 women at time A (P = .13) and in 12 (67%) of 18 men and 10 (67%) of 15 women at time B (P = .99). At time B, the strength of CD8+ effector responses correlated with the number of CD4+ lymphocytes in women (p = -0.68; P = .005) but not in men (p = -0.14; P = .58). The level of HIV-1 RNA was not associated with the strength of CD8+ effector responses according to sex, but there was a sex-based difference in the correlation between the strength of CD8+ effector response and the number of CD4+ lymphocytes. © 2005 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, All rights reserved.