Selective reduction in EBV-tetramer⁺ cells in LN aspirates compared with blood from 2 HIV-seropositive donors.

Paired peripheral blood and LN aspirate samples from 2 HIV-seropositive HLA B8⁺ donors not receiving antiretroviral drugs ([A] CD4 count, 348, and plasma HIV RNA, 68 618; [B] CD4 count, 518, and plasma HIV RNA, 175 135) were compared by analyzing a tightly gated lymphocyte population costained for CD8 and EBV B8 tetramer (second column), CCR7 (third column), and CD62L (last column). In the LNs compared with the peripheral blood, there was a 2-fold reduction in CD8 T cells compared with the total lymphocyte population and a 3- to 4-fold reduction in EBV-tetramer⁺ CD8 T cells. The proportion of cells staining for CCR7 and CD62L in LNs was much higher than in the blood.