V_H3 gene expression in children with HIV infection

Objective. To study immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (V_H) gene expression in HIV-uninfected (HIV-) and HIV-infected (HIV+) children. Methods. A retrospective, observational study was performed by PCR-ELISA to examine IgM and IgG V_H gene family expression among peripheral CD19-positive B cells. The subjects were 10 HIV+children with, and 11 HIV+children without a history of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and 12 HIV- children. The ages of the HIV+and HIV- children, and the CD4 lymphocyte counts and viral loads (VL) of the HIV+/IPD- and HIV+/IPD- children were statistically similar. Rearranged V_H3 gene libraries were constructed from 3 HIV+/IPD- children to examine individual gene expression. Results. The proportion of IgG V_H3 expression among HIV+/IPD- was lower than that of HIV- children, but the proportion of IgG V_H3 expression among HIV+/IPD+ children was not significantly different from that of HIV- children. IgG V_H3 expression was positively, whereas IgM V_H3 expression was inversely correlated with the VL among HIV+/IPD+, but not HIV+/IPD- children. IgM V_H gene family expression did not differ between HIV+and HIV- children. Conclusion. HIV+ children manifest qualitative and quantitative differences in V_H3 expression, which may be influenced by IPD.