Brito, Maria JoséBRITO, MARIASequeira, PedroSilva, IrynaQuintas, AnaMartins, CatarinaMartins, CatarinaFélix, AnaFelix, Ana2020-12-302020-12-302021-021201-9712PURE: 26384625PURE UUID: 3250a398-35c3-4eec-a253-b5a381c93eddPubMed: 33157285ORCID: /0000-0002-2653-2262/work/85969164ORCID: /0000-0003-0353-0421/work/85970061Scopus: 85098636842WOS: 000616697100004http://hdl.handle.net/10362/109476Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to analyse cervix lymphocytic populations in HIV + and HIV- patients and correlate different cervical lesions with HIV viral load and presence of high-risk HPV types. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 132 histological specimens from 40 HIV + and 72 HIV- patients were evaluated for CD4+ and CD8+ T cell distribution, presence of high-risk HPV types, peripheral blood HIV viral load and CD4+/CD8+ ratio. RESULTS: High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) from HIV + patients had lower CD4+ T cell scores compared with HIV- patients. In all lesion groups, HIV + patients presented higher epithelial and stromal CD8+ T cell scores. HIV viral load was more often detectable in patients with SCC than in those with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (p = 0.0409). HSIL HIV + patients had lower circulating CD4+ T cell counts (p = 0.0434) and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p = 0.0378) compared with LSIL HIV + patients. High-risk HPV types other than 16 and 18/45 were more prevalent in the HIV + group. DISCUSSION: These results support an imbalance between cervical CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes of HIV + patients with SIL and SCC, with increased CD8+ infiltrate density with lesion severity, even in patients with immune system recovery under cART.3218917engCarcinomaCD4+ T cellCD8+ T cellCervixHIVViral loadSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingjournal article10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.083