HIV Support Group
HIV (also known as human immunodeficiency virus, and formerly known as HTLV-III and lymphadenopathy-associated virus) is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system which can lead the syndrome known as AIDS. Many of the problems faced by people infected with HIV result from failure of the immune system to protect from opportunistic...
Initiation of HAART at Early Stages of HIV Infection May Halt Lymph Node Destruction and Reduce Cell Death
Depletion of CD4 T-cells and destruction of lymphoid tissue are hallmarks of HIV infection. Although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear, apoptosis (programmed cell death) appears to play a key role.
The objective of the current study, published in the March 31 online edition of Infection, was to investigate the effect of antiretroviral therapy on lymph node tissue, particularly with respect to morphology (form and structure) and apoptosis.
Between 1997 and 1999, Swiss and Italian researchers excised 2 lymph nodes from the groin of 31 previously untreated individuals who were at an early stage of HIV infection, the first prior to treatment and the second after 16 to 20 months of antiretroviral therapy.
Paraffin sections were investigated for lymph node architecture, distribution of cellular and viral markers, apoptosis, and expression of key apoptotic molecules which indirectly reflect apoptotic processes.
Results
After 16-20 months of antiretroviral therapy, a significant decrease in highly activated HIV-driven immune response was observed in the lymph node tissue as characterized by:
A marked reduction in follicular hyperplasia;
Normalization of the follicular dendritic cell network;
A significant increase in the number of CD4 T-cells;
A significant decrease in the number of CD8 T-cells.
Expression of several pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic molecules that were reconstituted in the lymph tissues during therapy resembled their expression in the lymph nodes of HIV negative individuals.
Conclusion
The authors noted that their study had some limitations, namely the lack of untreated patients at the late stages, the lack of a control group of untreated patients (for ethical reasons), and the restriction of sequential measurements of apoptotic markers to one-third of the patients (for methodological reasons).
However, based on their findings, they concluded, "Antiretroviral therapy initiated in the early stages in HIV infection may halt the irreversible destruction of the lymph node tissue and may partially normalize apoptotic processes."
Institute for Medical Microbiology, University of Basel, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital-Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland; Service d'immunologie et d'allergie, University Hospital Lausanne, Switzerland; San Raffaele Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy.
4/22/08
Reference
S Ehrhard, M Wernli, G Kaufmann, and others. Effect of Antiretroviral Therapy on Apoptosis Markers and Morphology in Peripheral Lymph Nodes of HIV-Infected Individuals. Infection. March 31, 2008 [Epub ahead of print].
Related Article
Alos, P Navarrete, V Morente, and others. Immuno-architecture of lymphoid tissue in HIV-infection during antiretroviral therapy correlates with viral persistence. Modern Pathology 18(1): 127-136. January 2005.
Depletion of CD4 T-cells and destruction of lymphoid tissue are hallmarks of HIV infection. Although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear, apoptosis (programmed cell death) appears to play a key role.
The objective of the current study, published in the March 31 online edition of Infection, was to investigate the effect of antiretroviral therapy on lymph node tissue, particularly with respect to morphology (form and structure) and apoptosis.
Between 1997 and 1999, Swiss and Italian researchers excised 2 lymph nodes from the groin of 31 previously untreated individuals who were at an early stage of HIV infection, the first prior to treatment and the second after 16 to 20 months of antiretroviral therapy.
Paraffin sections were investigated for lymph node architecture, distribution of cellular and viral markers, apoptosis, and expression of key apoptotic molecules which indirectly reflect apoptotic processes.
Results
After 16-20 months of antiretroviral therapy, a significant decrease in highly activated HIV-driven immune response was observed in the lymph node tissue as characterized by:
A marked reduction in follicular hyperplasia;
Normalization of the follicular dendritic cell network;
A significant increase in the number of CD4 T-cells;
A significant decrease in the number of CD8 T-cells.
Expression of several pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic molecules that were reconstituted in the lymph tissues during therapy resembled their expression in the lymph nodes of HIV negative individuals.
Conclusion
The authors noted that their study had some limitations, namely the lack of untreated patients at the late stages, the lack of a control group of untreated patients (for ethical reasons), and the restriction of sequential measurements of apoptotic markers to one-third of the patients (for methodological reasons).
However, based on their findings, they concluded, "Antiretroviral therapy initiated in the early stages in HIV infection may halt the irreversible destruction of the lymph node tissue and may partially normalize apoptotic processes."
Institute for Medical Microbiology, University of Basel, Switzerland; Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital-Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland; Service d'immunologie et d'allergie, University Hospital Lausanne, Switzerland; San Raffaele Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy.
4/22/08
Reference
S Ehrhard, M Wernli, G Kaufmann, and others. Effect of Antiretroviral Therapy on Apoptosis Markers and Morphology in Peripheral Lymph Nodes of HIV-Infected Individuals. Infection. March 31, 2008 [Epub ahead of print].
Related Article
Alos, P Navarrete, V Morente, and others. Immuno-architecture of lymphoid tissue in HIV-infection during antiretroviral therapy correlates with viral persistence. Modern Pathology 18(1): 127-136. January 2005.
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I gave my 2 week notice last Friday 13th. Now to join you fine people in a life of leisure and nothing else to do but to look out for myself....is it just me or does that sound pretty boring? My goal was to live to retire and I guess having to take early retirement because of health reasons wasn't exactly the way I had planned things. I just can't stay in that building that is reeking mildew...
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I'm trying to exercise daily. I was doing fairly well until I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago but now I'm getting back on the horse. Today I walked over a mile with my arm weights that are about 22lbs total. I was out of shape and it was hard on my arms. I also did my 30 situps. I'm also going to drink a lot of water and try to eat healthy. I do tend to have a sweet tooth but I'm cutting...
The lymphatic system is sort of like the blood circulatory system except that there is no heart pumping the lymph fluid around. Exercise and massage are great in part because they move the lymph fluid. The muscles contracting during exercise act as the pump. And stroking from the exremities toward the core of you body up the arms or legs also moves the lymph that way. Lymph fluid is like blood serum plus white blood cells.
In the lymph nodes, the white blood cells gather together and essentially "talk" to each other. "Hey you macrophages! I just found a wood splinter down in the finger! Please go work on it." "Hey, CD8 cells! There's a new virus in the left lung!"
We (scientists) don't understand how they do it yet, and we don't have radio collars small enough to track individual cells easily, but we are pretty convinced that many of these cells know how to find their way around the body. They don't just wander around at random. Some are specific for the gut, some for the legs, etc. They can come from their primary site, up to the core, and then return to their "home base".
It's all pretty amazing.
The lymphatic system is sort of like the blood circulatory system except that there is no heart pumping the lymph fluid around. Exercise and massage are great in part because they move the lymph fluid. The muscles contracting during exercise act as the pump. And stroking from the exremities toward the core of you body up the arms or legs also moves the lymph that way. Lymph fluid is like blood serum plus white blood cells.
In the lymph nodes, the white blood cells gather together and essentially "talk" to each other. "Hey you macrophages! I just found a wood splinter down in the finger! Please go work on it." "Hey, CD8 cells! There's a new virus in the left lung!"
We (scientists) don't understand how they do it yet, and we don't have radio collars small enough to track individual cells easily, but we are pretty convinced that many of these cells know how to find their way around the body. They don't just wander around at random. Some are specific for the gut, some for the legs, etc. They can come from their primary site, up to the core, and then return to their "home base".
It's all pretty amazing.
Your description reminds me of a set of books I collected when I was about 4, called "How My Body Works". They had loads of little characters with faces and stuff who actively moved around the body doing their own jobs, it was pretty amazing!
What happens in a normal person is that that immune system takes care of random rouge cancer cells. Everyone gets/has them. The vast majority never even get close to cancer as we know it.
Because of the weakened immune system some can slipe though and become cancer. This not only happens with + people, but anyone that has a compramised immune system.
It is quite amazing what all the immune system does when you think about it.