TLR2 signaling renders quiescent naive and memory CD4+ T cells more susceptible to productive infection with X4 and R5 HIV-type 1

S Thibault, MR Tardif, C Barat… - The Journal of …, 2007 - journals.aai.org
S Thibault, MR Tardif, C Barat, MJ Tremblay
The Journal of Immunology, 2007journals.aai.org
It has been recently demonstrated that circulating microbial products are responsible for a
systemic immune activation in individuals infected with HIV-type 1. Bacterial products carry
structural conserved motifs recognized by TLRs. Some TLR members are expressed in
primary human CD4+ T cells but the precise functional role played by these pattern
recognition receptors is still imprecise. In this study, we report that engagement of TLR2 in
quiescent naive and memory CD4+ T cells leads to the acquisition of an effector-like …
Abstract
It has been recently demonstrated that circulating microbial products are responsible for a systemic immune activation in individuals infected with HIV-type 1. Bacterial products carry structural conserved motifs recognized by TLRs. Some TLR members are expressed in primary human CD4+ T cells but the precise functional role played by these pattern recognition receptors is still imprecise. In this study, we report that engagement of TLR2 in quiescent naive and memory CD4+ T cells leads to the acquisition of an effector-like phenotype. Interestingly, engagement of TLR2 renders both cell subsets more susceptible to productive infection with X4 virions and a higher virus production was seen with R5 viruses. It can be proposed that exposure of resting CD4+ T cells to pathogen-derived products that can engage TLR2 induces the acquisition of an effector-like phenotype in naive and memory CD4+ T lymphocytes, a phenomenon that might result in an acceleration of virus replication, immune dysregulation, and HIV-type 1-mediated disease progression.
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