T Cell Response to Asthma in HIV-infected Patients Before and After Starting Treatment Clinical Trial
Official title:
Allergen Specific T Effector and T Regulatory Cell Response to Common Aeroallergens Following Immune Restoration in HIV-infected Children
To explore allergen-specific effector and regulatory T cell response in HIV-infected children before and after HAART initiation
Recently, US investigators have observed that HIV-infected (HIV+) children on highly active
antiretroviral therapy (HAART) have a much greater cumulative incidence of asthma.Regulatory
T cells may mitigate the pathogenicity of asthma through the suppression of Th2 responses.
Since asthma is predominantly a TH2 mediated condition, we propose that new onset of asthma
after HAART in HIV- infected children may be secondary to dysregulated immune
reconstitution. The restoration of CD4+ T cell-mediated immunity in HIV+ patients treated
with HAART may lead to airway inflammation, narrowing, hyperresponsiveness, and possibly
remodeling.
The increased incidence of asthma in HIV-infected children treated with HAART is likely
secondary to multiple factors that may include hypersensitivity to certain aeroallergens,
dysregulation of effector and regulatory T cell response, as well as the imbalance of TH1
vs. TH2 cytokines. Therefore this study will identify the immunopathogenesis of increased
airway hyperresponsiveness in HIV-positive patients.
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Allocation: Non-Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Basic Science