Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Negative Men Who Have Sex With Men Have Higher CD8+ T-Cell Counts and Lower CD4+/CD8+ T-Cell Ratios Compared With HIV-Negative Heterosexual Men. (31st January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Verboeket, Sebastiaan O; Wit, Ferdinand W; Verheij, Eveline; van Zoest, Rosan A; Kootstra, Neeltje A; van der Valk, Marc; Prins, Jan M; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten F; Reiss, Peter
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 224:Number 7(2021)
• Page Start: 1187
• Page End: 1197
• Publication Date: 2020-01-31
• Subjects: CD4-CD8 ratio -- cytomegalovirus -- HIV -- men who have sex with men -- sexual and gender minorities; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa048
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: Background: We previously reported T-cell senescence to be similar in people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) with suppressed viremia (predominantly men who have sex with men [MSM]) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative otherwise comparable controls but greater than in healthy blood donors. This led us to compare CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell counts and CD4 + /CD8 + ratios between HIV-negative MSM and men who only have sex with women (MSW) and relate observed differences in behavioral factors and infectious exposures, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Methods: In 368 HIV-negative MSM and 72 HIV-negative MSW, T lymphocyte phenotyping was performed 3 times biennially. Baseline CMV serology and sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence and/or STI seroprevalence, sexual, and substance-use behavior data were collected during study visits. Results: Men who have sex with men, compared with MSW, had higher CD8 + counts (551 vs 437 cells/mm 3, P < .001), similar CD4 + counts (864 vs 880 cells/mm 3, P = .5), and lower CD4 + /CD8 + ratios (1.84 vs 2.47, P < .001). Differences were most pronounced for MSM with >10 recent sex partners and partly explained by higher CMV seroprevalence in MSM. Conclusions: These findings suggest that factors other than HIV may, in both PWH and certain HIV-negative MSM, contribute to a low CD4 + /CD8 + ratio. Whether this, like in PWH, contributes to comorbidity risk in HIV-negative MSM requires further study. Abstract : HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM), especially MSM with a high numbers of sexual partners, have higher CD8 + T-cell counts resulting in lower CD4 + /CD8 + T-cell ratios, compared with HIV-negative men who only have sex with women.