No difference in NKp46/NCR1 expression was observed (Figure
1, panel B, p > 0.05, NS). The analysis of NKp44/NCR2 expression, an activating receptor only expressed on activated NKs (Figure
1, panel C) showed no difference between AIDS-RL and HIV-negative lymphoma patients (p > 0.05, NS) and between AIDS-RL and HIV patients without lymphoma but with <300 CD4/mm
3 patients (p > 0.05, NS). However, AIDS-RL with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 expressed lower NKp44/NCR2 than HIV + patients without lymphoma with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (MFIr median (M) = 1.52; interquartile range (IQR)[1.24-1.850] vs M = 1.80 IQR[1.540-2.110], p = 0.011) and than HS (M = 1.75 IQR[1.650-2.000], p = 0.006). In spite of a very high NKp44/NCR2 expression by one HIV + lymphoma with <300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (MFIr =6.21), this group tended to express lower NKp44/NCR2 than HIV + patients with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (M = 1.42 IQR[1.320-1.765] vs 1.80[1.543-2.115], p = 0.06). HIV-negative lymphoma patients expressed more NKp44/NCR2 than HIV + patients without lymphoma and >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (M = 1.48 IQR[1.330-1.690]
vs 1.80[1.543-2.115], p = 0.02) or HS (M = 1.75[1.650-2.000], p = 0.002). There was no difference in NKp30/NCR3 expression (Figure
1, panel D) between AIDS-RL and HIV-negative lymphoma patients (p > 0.05, NS) or between AIDS-RL and HIV + patients without lymphoma and <300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (p > 0.05, NS). NKp30/NCR3 expression was lower in AIDS-RL with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 than in HIV + patients without lymphoma and >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (M = 4.555 IQR[2.693-9.645]
vs 7.525[4.853-16.19], p = 0.014) or HS (M = 8.86 IQR[4.630-14.56], p = 0.041).
Regarding NKG2D (Figure
1, panel E), AIDS-RL patients with <300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 had a lower expression of NKG2D than AIDS-RL patients with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (M = 15.92 IQR[8.125-29.93]
vs 29.18[18.18-41.32], p = 0.036), than HIV + patients without lymphoma but >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (M = 24.92 IQR[18.68-35.45], p = 0.005), than HIV-negative lymphoma patients (M = 31.89 IQR[25.71-42.17], p = 0.001), or than HS (M = 31.78 IQR[27.40-37.50], p = 0.001). AIDS-RL with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 had lower expression of NKG2D than HIV-negative lymphoma patients (M = 23.65 IQR[15.45-28.19]
vs 31.89[25.71-42.17], p = 0.03), than HS (M = 31.78 IQR[27.40-37.50], p = 0.005) or HIV + patients without lymphoma but >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 (M = 24.92 IQR[18.68-35.45], p = 0.005).
We failed to detect 2B4/CD244/P38 expression difference (Figure
1, panel F) between AIDS-RL and HIV + patients without lymphoma (NS, p > 0.05). 2B4/CD244/P38 expression was lower in AIDS-RL with <300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 than in HIV-negative lymphoma patients (M = 37.36 IQR[21.45-51.68]
vs 63.43[45.16-86.86], p = 0.002) and than in HS (M = 51.64[38.93-78.76], p = 0.023). 2B4/CD244/P38 expression was lower in AIDS-RL with >300 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm
3 than in HIV-negative lymphoma patients (M = 41.11 IQR[32.18-50.35] vs 63.43[45.16-86.86], p = 0.012).