Fuzhengpaidu granule Regulates Immune Activation Molecules CD38 and human leukocyte antigen-D related on CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells in Patients with Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of Fuzhengpaidu granule (FZPDG) on immune activation molecules CD38 and human leukocyte antigen-D related (HLA-DR) on CD4+ and CD8+ cells in HIV/AIDS patients, and to explore the underlying mechanism of this therapy.MethodsPlasma changes in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD3+CD4+CD38+, CD3+CD4+HLA-DR+, CD3+CD8+CD38+, and CD3+CD8+HLA-DR+ levels in HIV/AIDS patients treated with FZPDG for six months were examined by flow cytometry and compared with levels in healthy controls.ResultsThe clinical trial included 34 outpatients with HIV/AIDS. Before treatment, plasma levels of CD38+ and HLA-DR+ on CD4/CD8 cells were higher than those in 28 health controls (P<0.05). There were no significant changes in serum levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells between pretreatment baseline versus after treatment, which were (82.85±5.41)%, 14.57±10.31% and (54.55±11.43)% before treatment and (79.15±8.21)%, (19.96±9.58)% and (56.36±11.67)% after treatment, respectively (P>0.05). Plasma levels of CD3+CD4+CD38+ and CD3+CD4+HLA-DR+ were (2.38±2.22)% and (7.84±5.49)% before treatment and (1.25±0.83)% and (2.59±1.01)% after treatment, respectively. Plasma levels of CD3+CD8+CD38+ and CD3+CD8+HLA-DR+ were (41.40±13.45)% and (17.78±11.29)% before treatment, which changed to (27.10±10.17)% and (3.80±2.39)% after treatment, respectively (P<0.05).ConclusionHIV/AIDS patients exhibited an immune activation profile following FZPDG treatment. A potential mechanism of action for FZPDG appears to lie in its ability to up-regulate CD38 and HLA-DR levels on CD4+ T cells, and down-regulate them on CD8+ cells, thereby modulating immune activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.