HIV-1 infected patients show a gradual loss of NK cells that correlates with disease progression

What is it about?

In this study, the analysis of CD56(bright) and CD56(dim) NK subsets showed that neither the number nor the phenotype of CD56(bright) NK cells were significantly altered in treatment-naive HIV-1-infected individuals, whereas the number of CD56(dim) NK cells was decreased. We also have studied NK cell subsets defined by the expression of CD56 in combination with CD16, CD161, or CD94 molecules.

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Why is it important?

Our results demonstrated a preferential decrease of CD3-CD56+ NK cells coexpressing CD16 and CD161 but lacking CD94 molecules. On the contrary an increased percentage of NK cells that do not express CD56 molecules but express CD16, CD161, or CD94 was also found in HIV-1-infected individuals. As it has been proposed that these CD56-negative NK cells expressing other NK cell receptors represent immature NK cells with low cytolytic capacity, our results support that a defective differentiation from immature CD56 negative NK cells to mature CD56(dim) NK cells occurs in HIV-1 infection.