T-LYMPHOCYTES SYSTEM AND CYTOKINES LEVEL IN HIV/HCV COINFECTED PATIENTS
Objective. To study peculiarities of the T-lymphocytes and cytokines under HIV/HCV co-infection depending on the HIV infection clinical and immunological stages. Material and methods. The cellular immune response and the associated cytokine profile particularities were studied in HIV/HCV infected patients according to the HIV infection clinical and immunological stages. IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-а, IFN-у, and CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocytes of blood serum were investigated by ELISA method (DRG International, Inc., USA) and flow cytometry (Becton Dickinson facs caliber, USA) in four groups of patients. The 1st group consisted of 33 patients with HIV/ HCV co-infection the HIV infection being at the 1st and the 2nd clinical stages; the 2nd group was formed of ten patients with HIV/HCV co-infection the HIV infection being at the 3rd and the 4th clinical stages; the 3rd group included twenty patients with HIV infection; and the 4th group consisted of 25 patients with HCV infection. Results. The immunity system hyperstimulation manifested by higher than under HCV infection proinflammatory cytokines levels participating both in the non-specific immune response (IL-8) and in Th-1 (IL-2, INF-г) and Th2 (IL-4) immune responses was detected in the 1st group of patients as compared with those in the HCV infected patients. It resulted in a stronger immunity control under HCV infection exhausting the immunity cellular unit quicker at the 3rd and the 4th stages of HIV infection and the systemic inflammatory response activating due to opportunistic infection joining. Conclusion. It was supposed that the HCV infection management in HIV infected patients could be more efficient at the HIV infection 1st and 2nd clinical stages.