[Analyze T lymphocyte subsets of HIV/AIDS patients by flowcytometer]

Abstract

Objective: Using flowcytometer (FCM) to detect CD4+, CD8+ lymphocytes in peripheral blood, combine with clinical symptoms to evaluate the HIV/AIDS patients' immune state.

Methods: Anti-coagulated peripheral blood were obtained from 8 HIV-AIDS patients and 5 normal persons. After analyzing their total white cell counts, the whole blood was stained with two-color immunofluorescence using directly conjugated monoclonal antibody pairs, followed by lysis of red erythrocytes, fixation of lymphocytes, and analysis by flowcytometry. Multiplying the CD4 and CD8 percentages by the absolute number of lymphocytes obtained from the total white blood cell (WBC) count divide by the lymphocyte differential percentage, we got the CD4, CD8 counts.

Results: The HIV/AIDS patients' CD4 counts were lower than those of normal controls'. Especially, the AIDS patients' CD4 counts were all below 200 cells/mm3 and their clinical symptoms were serious.

Conclusion: The HIV/AIDS patients' CD4 counts are highly correlated with their clinical symptoms. The result also shows that FCM is accurate, sensitive and reliable in CD4 count.