We evaluated the effect of different doses of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-α2a/ribavirin (RBV) on several T-cell activation markers in HIV–HCV-coinfected patients and their relationship with changes in plasma HCV RNA.

Frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 22 patients receiving two different PEG-IFN-α2a schedules were analysed by six-colour flow cytometry. Cell-surface expression of CD38 was quantified. HIV and HCV viral loads, as well as absolute CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell counts, were recorded during the follow up (72 weeks).

PEG-IFN-α2a/RBV treatment decreased the absolute numbers of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T-cells. The decrease in CD8⁺ T-cells was more pronounced, resulting in increased percentages of CD4⁺ T-cells. Percentages of naive/memory CD4⁺ T-cell subsets remained unchanged, although the percentage of CD38⁺CD45RO⁺ cells significantly increased. By contrast, the CD8⁺ T-cell compartment significantly reduced the percentage of CD45RO⁺ cells and HLA-DR⁺ cells, whereas the percentage of CD38 expressing cells was increased because of a significant increase in cell-surface CD38 expression. Changes in CD8⁺ T-cells were similar for both PEG-IFN-α2a/RBV doses, but high doses induced more severe perturbations in CD4⁺ T-cells. All changes returned to baseline levels after treatment cessation and, except for the loss of naive CD4⁺ T-cells, were not associated with virological response.

Transient lymphopaenia induced by PEG-IFN-α2a/RBV differentially affects T-cell subsets. Activated HLA-DR⁺ and CD45RO⁺ cells were selectively reduced in peripheral blood, whereas CD38 expression was up-regulated mainly in memory cells. Increasing PEG-IFN-α2a/RBV doses mainly affect CD4⁺ T-cells but failed to modify clinical outcome.