Telomeres and HIV disease

Telomere measurement, envisioned as a novel approach to elucidate T-cell dynamics in HIV disease, failed to reveal any consistent pattern in CD4(+) T cells. By contrast, significant telomere shortening, as well as other hallmarks suggestive of replicative senescence, was observed within the CD8(+) T-cell subset. Telomere studies have thus provided unanticipated insight into a novel facet of memory CD8(+) T lymphocyte dynamics that may explain the exhaustion of the protective antiviral immune response. Strategies aimed at manipulating replicative senescence, therefore, offer unique approaches to immune reconstitution. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.