Objective To elaborate the changes of the soluble B cell-activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) in the peripheral blood of chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients ,and to study the correlation between the soluble BAFF in HIV-infected patients and the progressions of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).Methods Fifty untreated HIV outpatients and 30 healthy controls were recruited .According to the counts of CD4+T lymphocytes ,HIV-infected patients were divided into three groups ,＜ 200 cells／μL group , (200 － 350 ) cells／μL group and ＞350 cells／μL group .B cell counts and the BAFF levels were compared among the three groups and the healthy controls .The correlation analysis was conducted for the levels of BAFF ,the counts of CD4+T lymphocytes and B cells ,and viral load in HIV-infected patients .The value of BAFF in staging of HIV disease was identified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results The B cell counts were (90.3 ± 43.1)cells／μL in ＜200 cells／μL group ,(114 .4 ± 28 .8) cells／μL in (200 －350) cells／μL group ,and (162 .1 ± 29 .5) cells／μL in ＞350 cells／μL group and (307.1 ± 97 .0) cells／μL in healthy controls ,which was significantly different among the four groups (F＝47.92 ,P＜0.05).The concentrations of BAFF in the four groups were (1 737.5 ± 719.7) ,(962.8 ± 341.1) ,(859.8 ± 270.4) ,and (456.9 ± 163.7) ng／L ,with significant difference among the groups (F＝36.72 ,P＜0.05).The level of BAFF was negatively correlated with both B cell counts and CD4+T lymphocyte counts (r＝ －0.722 and －0.568 ,respectively ;both P＜0.05) ,and positively correlated with viral load (r＝0.607 ,P＜0 .05).The area under the ROC curve was 0 .881.If the level of BAFF was 1 281.5 ng／L ,the sensitivity and specificity to predict the period of AIDS were 74 .1% and 87.0%,respectively .Conclusion The levels of soluble BAFF in HIV-infected patients are significantly increased and related with the reduction of B cell counts and disease progression.

Objective To study the correlation between CD169 expression of monocytes and disease progression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV )-infected patients .Methods Sixty HIV-infected patients and 30 healthy controls were recruited .According to the CD4 + T lymphocyte counts ,HIV-infected patients were divided into three groups including < 200 cells/μL ,200 — 350 cells/μL and > 350 cells/μL groups . The differences in monocytes counts ,the proportions of CD16 + and CD169 + monocytes were analyzed among the three groups and healthy controls .The correlations between proportion of CD169 + monocytes and CD4 + T lymphocyte counts ,viral load ,and proportion of CD16 + monocytes were analyzed .Results The monocyte counts in CD4 + T lymphocytes < 200 cells/μL group , (200 — 350 ) cells/μL group , >350 cells/μL group and healthy control group were (342 ± 99) ,(396 ± 145) ,(365 ± 80) ,and (404 ± 106)/μL ,respectively ,which were not significantly different (F= 2 .55 , P > 0 .05) .The proportions of CD16 + monocytes in the four groups were (19 .8 ± 8 .8)％ ,(14 .3 ± 2 .8)％ ,(9 .7 ± 2 .0)％ and (4 .0 ± 0 .8)％ ,respectively ,which were significantly different ( F = 30 .90 , P < 0 .05 ) . The proportions of CD169 + monocytes in the four groups were (72 .6 ± 11 .4)％ ,(59 .4 ± 14 .7)％ ,(33 .3 ± 14 .5)％ and (2 .6 ± 0 .8)％ ,respectively ,which were significantly different (F = 152 .40 , P< 0 .05) .The proportion of CD169 + monocytes was negatively correlated with CD4 + T lymphocyte counts (r = 0 .792 , P< 0 .05) , while positively correlated with both viral load (r= 0 .485 ,P< 0 .05) and proportion of CD16 + monocytes (r= 0 .395 , P< 0 .05) .Conclusions The CD169 expressions of monocytes in HIV-infected patients are significantly increased and correlated with both monocyte activation and disease progression .