Analysis of regulatory T-cells and of their naı̈ve and memory-like subsets in long-term treated aviremic HIV patients and untreated viremic patients

Purpose of the study Although HIV infection impacts the proportion and phenotype of regulatory T-cells (Tregs), discrepant results have been reported depending on the surface markers employed to characterize them and on the patient populations. In addition, the effects of a long-term combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) on Treg cells have not been thoroughly documented. Our study investigated the frequency and number of Tregs and their phenotype in two different groups of HIV-infected patients: one aviremic undergoing long-term cART and one viremic naive to cART showing a similar CD4 cell count.