Loss and Recovery of Vg2Vd2 T cells in HIV/AIDS

HIV infection results in an early and profound loss of Vg2Vd2 T cells, and this is the only T cell receptor-specific depletion that is common to all individuals with HIV/ AIDS. A similar pattern of Vg2Vd2 T cell depletion occurs in mycobacterium infection and during malaria. We hypothesize that the loss of Vg2Vd2 T cells, irrespective of the primary cause for this loss, results in disease acceleration during HIV+ tuberculosis or HIV+ malaria coinfections and also leads to increased incidence of cancer in the context of HIV/AIDS.