Limited CD4+ T-cell renewal in early HIV-1 infection:: Effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy

We show that the fraction of proliferating CD4(+) lymphocytes is similar in HIV-infected subjects in the early stage of disease and in HIV-negative subjects, whereas the fraction of proliferating CD8(+) lymphocytes is increased 6.8-fold in HIV-infected subjects. After initiation of antiviral therapy, there is a late increase in proliferating CD4(+) T cells associated with the restoration of CD4(+) T-cell counts. These results provide strong support for the idea of limited CD4(+) T-cell renewal in the early stage of HIV infection and indicate that after effective suppression of virus replication, the mechanisms of CD4(+) T-cell production are still functional in early HIV infection.