Immunosenescent CD57^{+} CD4^{+} T-cells accumulate and contribute to interferon-γ responses in HIV patients responding stably to ART

S Fernandez, MA French, P Price - Disease markers, 2011 - content.iospress.com
S Fernandez, MA French, P Price
Disease markers, 2011content.iospress.com
HIV-infected individuals responding to antiretroviral therapy (ART) after severe CD4
[TeX:]^{+} T-cell depletion may retain low responses to recall antigens [eg: cytomegalovirus
(CMV)] and altered expression of T-cell co-stimulatory molecules consistent with
immunosenescence. We investigated the capacity of phenotypically senescent cells to
generate cytokines in HIV patients receiving long-term ART (n= 18) and in healthy controls
(n= 10). Memory T-cells were assessed by interferon (IFN)-γ ELISpot assay and flow …
Abstract
HIV-infected individuals responding to antiretroviral therapy (ART) after severe CD4 [TeX:]^{+} T-cell depletion may retain low responses to recall antigens [eg: cytomegalovirus (CMV)] and altered expression of T-cell co-stimulatory molecules consistent with immunosenescence. We investigated the capacity of phenotypically senescent cells to generate cytokines in HIV patients receiving long-term ART (n= 18) and in healthy controls (n= 10). Memory T-cells were assessed by interferon (IFN)-γ ELISpot assay and flow cytometrically via IFN-γ or IL-2. Proportions of CD57 [TeX:]^{bright} CD28 [TeX:]^{null} CD4 [TeX:]^{+} T-cells correlated with IFN-γ responses to CMV (p= 0.009) and anti-CD3 (p= 0.002) in HIV patients only. Proportions of CD57 [TeX:]^{bright} CD28 [TeX:]^{null} CD8 [TeX:]^{+} T-cells and CD8 [TeX:]^{+} T-cell IFN-γ responses to CMV peptides correlated in controls but not HIV patients. IL-2 was predominantly produced by CD28 [TeX:]^{+} T-cells from all donors, whereas IFN-γ was mostly produced by CD57 [TeX:]^{+} T-cells. The findings provide evidence of an accumulation of immunosenescent T-cells able to make IFN-γ. This may influence the pathogenesis of secondary viral infections in HIV patients receiving ART.
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