Abstract
Objective: RCAS1 (receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells) is an apoptosisassociated protein that induces apoptosis in activated T-cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of RCAS1 in HIV-1 infection.
Methods: We examined the serum levels of RCAS1 in HIV-1-infected patientsat different clinical and immunological stages.
Results: Although the RCAS1 levels did not correlate with the clinical stage, they did correlate significantly with the CD8+T cell numbers. Furthermore, the RCAS1 levels were also significantly higher in patients whose CD4+T cell counts did not respond to antiretroviral therapy (ART) than in those who responded to ART.
Conclusions: The present findings therefore suggest that the RCAS1 level affects the CD 4+T cell counts in HIV-1-infected patients with ART.
