• Xiang-Sheng Xu, Zheng Zhang, Lan-Lan Gu, and Fu-Sheng Wang.
• Research Center for Biological Therapy, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
• Xi Bao Yu Fen Zi Mian Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2009 Dec 1;25(12):1158-60.

AimTo characterize the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA, CD272) expression on CD4(+); and CD8(+); T lymphocytes during chronic HIV-1 infection, and analyze the clinical significance for its expression and disease progression.MethodsBTLA expression on T cells in peripheral blood from 34 patients with chronic HIV-1 infection and 15 healthy donors was measured using flow cytometry. The correlation between BTLA expression and CD4 T cell counts and virus load was also analyzed.ResultsBTLA expression on both CD4 and CD8 T cells was significantly down-regulated in HIV-1-infected subjects compared to HCs and the down-regulation of BTLA expression on total T-cell subsets was associated with the progression of HIV-1 infection. BTLA expression on CD4 T cells was positively correlated with CD4 T cell counts and negatively correlated with HIV virus load.ConclusionBTLA signaling pathway may play an important role in the unbalance between the stimulating and inhibitory signal which results in the general immune activation during chronic HIV-1 infection. Manipulation of BTLA inhibitory pathway may present an alternative strategy for overcoming immune activation for this disease.

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