These cytotoxic CD4+T and CD8+T cell may be assumed to include the HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells and indeed, correlation analysis between Granzyme-B expressing circulating CD4+T and CD8+T cells with absolute CD4 count showed a significant, though opposing correlation in HIV-1 infected individuals, suggesting that Granzyme-B expressing circulating CD4+T cells may be playing a protective role against disease progression in HIV-1 infection. The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is HIV-1 infection.