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  • Title: Association between larger thymic size and higher thymic output in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.
    Author: Kolte L, Dreves AM, Ersbøll AK, Strandberg C, Jeppesen DL, Nielsen JO, Ryder LP, Nielsen SD.
    Journal: J Infect Dis; 2002 Jun 01; 185(11):1578-85. PubMed ID: 12023763.
    Abstract:
    To examine the impact of thymic size on immune recovery in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the thymus was visualized, using computed tomographic scans, in 25 HIV-infected patients who had received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for 6-18 months and had levels of viremia <500 copies/mL. For comparison, 10 control subjects were included in the study. Total and naive CD4+ cell counts were determined by flow cytometry. To determine thymic output, the number of CD4+ cells containing T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) was measured. Qualitative immune recovery was evaluated by determination of CD4+ T cell receptor repertoire in 19 of the HIV-infected patients. Larger thymic size was associated with higher CD4+ cell counts (r=0.498; P=.011) and higher CD4+ TREC frequency (r=0.652; P<.001). Furthermore, patients with abundant thymic tissue seemed to have broader immunologic repertoires, compared with patients with minimal thymic tissue (P=.054). These findings suggest that thymopoiesis is ongoing in the adult thymus and contributes to immune reconstitution in HIV-infected patients receiving HAART.
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