Blood amounts and suppressive in vitro activity of CD8+11b(+)-lymphocytes from HIV-infected children, related to hepatitis B or C virus association.

In HIV only, as well as in HIV/hepatitis B- and HIV/hepatitis C-infected children (6 to 8 years of age), with moderate altered clinical and immune cell markers, the total amounts of CD8(+)-set and of CD8+11b(+)-subset (T-suppressor) blood lymphocytes, by means of flow cytometry, were determined. On the other hand, within several mixtures of autologous sorted CD3+/CD8+11b(+)-cells, the per cent reduction of HLA-DR+ expression on T-cells, at different effector/responder cell ratios, was appreciated. Significant higher levels of CD8+11b(+)-cells, especially in HIV/hepatitis B virus groups, were found, that correlated with a stronger suppressive activity. The strongest alteration of immune markers, within HIV-seropositive, HBs+, HBe+ patients, was noticed. A possible usefulness of these data in HIV only, and in HIV-associated hepatitis B or C virus contamination, during pediatric AIDS monitoring, was commented.