Alteration of T Cell Phenotypes in HIV-Neurotuberculosis Coinfection

Background Neurotuberculosis is one of the commonest HIV associated opportunistic infections of the central nervous system in India. HIV-TB coinfection may lead to altered frequencies of T cells, thereby influencing the course and progression of the disease. Methods We examined the frequencies of T cell subsets in HIV infected individuals with neurotuberculosis (HIV+nTB+) as compared to individuals with HIV associated systemic TB (HIV+sTB+), asymptomatic HIV (HIV+TB-), non-HIV neuro TB (HIV-nTB+), non-HIV systemic TB (HIV-sTB+), and healthy controls (HIV-TB-). Activation and senescence profiles of CD4 and CD8 T cells and memory subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were studied by flow cytometry. Results The significant observations among the T cell subsets in HIV+nTB+ were: (1) Naïve T cells: decreased CD4 T cells compared to HIV-sTB+ (P = 0.005); decreased CD8 T cells compared to HIV-nTB+ and HIV-TB- (P ≤ 0.007), (2) Memory T cells: expanded CD4 TEMRA cells compared to HIV-nTB+, HIV-sTB+, and HIV-TB- (P ≤ 0.003); expanded CD8 TEMRA cells compared to HIV-nTB+ and HIV-TB- (P ≤ 0.005), (3) Activated T cells: higher CD4 T cells compared to HIV-nTB+, HIV-sTB+, and HIV-TB- (P ≤ 0.004); higher CD8 T cells compared to HIV + TB-, HIV-nTB+, HIV-sTB+, and HIV-TB- (P ≤ 0.001), and (4) Senescent T cells: increased CD8 T cells compared to HIV-nTB+ and HIV-TB- groups (P = 0.000). Conclusions Increased activation compared to HIV+TB-, HIV-nTB+, HIV-sTB+, and HIV-TB- groups and increased senescence compared to HIV-nTB+ and HIV-TB- groups were observed in CD8 T cells in HIV+nTB+, suggesting that the frequencies of these T cell subsets are altered to a greater extent in these individuals. © 2018 International Clinical Cytometry Society.