T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) and maintenance of long-term non-progression status in HIV-1 infection

T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were evaluated in the Genetic Resistance to Human Immunodeficiency Virus cohort of HIV-1-seropositive non-progressors (NP). After a short follow-up, NP were sub-grouped as stable (NP-S), or with signs of disease progression (NP-P). Initial TREC were higher in NP-S compared to NP-P (P = 0.002), even after adjusting for CD4 and CD8 T-cell counts and viral load (P= 0.048), but not p24 antigenemia (P = 0.076). Higher initial TREC were 100% predictive of the maintenance of non-progression status during follow-up.