BACKGROUND: HIV-infected controllers control viral replication and maintain normal CD4 T cell counts. Long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs) also maintain normal CD4 T cell counts but have ongoing viral replication. We hypothesized that immunoregulatory mechanisms are involved in preserved CD4 T cell counts in controllers and in LTNPs. METHODS: Twenty HIV-infected viremic controllers, 5 elite controllers (ECs), and 14 LTNPs were included in this cross-sectional study. For comparison, 25 progressors and 34 healthy controls were included. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), Treg subpopulations, CD161+Th17 cells, and CD3+CD8+CD161(high)Tc17 cells in peripheral blood were measured using flow cytometry. Tregs in lymphoid tissue were determined in tonsil biopsies and evaluated using immunolabeling. The production of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-17 upon stimulation with phytohemagglutinin in peripheral blood was determined by Luminex. RESULTS: All groups of HIV-infected patients displayed similar percentages of Tregs in both peripheral blood and lymphoid tissue. However, a larger percentage of Tregs in ECs and LTNPs were activated compared with that in controls, progressors, and viremic controllers. Further, ECs as the only group of HIV-infected patients, displayed elevated percentages of CD161+Th17 cells, preserved CD3+CD8+CD161(high)Tc17 cells, and preserved IL-10 production. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, Treg percentage was similar in both blood and lymphoid tissue in all groups of patients and controls. However, both ECs and LTNPs displayed a large proportion of activated Tregs suggesting immunoregulatory mechanisms to be involved in preserving CD4 T cell counts in HIV-infected nonprogressors.
BACKGROUND:HIV-infected controllers control viral replication and maintain normal CD4 T cell counts. Long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs) also maintain normal CD4 T cell counts but have ongoing viral replication. We hypothesized that immunoregulatory mechanisms are involved in preserved CD4 T cell counts in controllers and in LTNPs. METHODS: Twenty HIV-infected viremic controllers, 5 elite controllers (ECs), and 14 LTNPs were included in this cross-sectional study. For comparison, 25 progressors and 34 healthy controls were included. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), Treg subpopulations, CD161+Th17 cells, and CD3+CD8+CD161(high)Tc17 cells in peripheral blood were measured using flow cytometry. Tregs in lymphoid tissue were determined in tonsil biopsies and evaluated using immunolabeling. The production of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-17 upon stimulation with phytohemagglutinin in peripheral blood was determined by Luminex. RESULTS: All groups of HIV-infectedpatients displayed similar percentages of Tregs in both peripheral blood and lymphoid tissue. However, a larger percentage of Tregs in ECs and LTNPs were activated compared with that in controls, progressors, and viremic controllers. Further, ECs as the only group of HIV-infectedpatients, displayed elevated percentages of CD161+Th17 cells, preserved CD3+CD8+CD161(high)Tc17 cells, and preserved IL-10 production. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, Treg percentage was similar in both blood and lymphoid tissue in all groups of patients and controls. However, both ECs and LTNPs displayed a large proportion of activated Tregs suggesting immunoregulatory mechanisms to be involved in preserving CD4 T cell counts in HIV-infected nonprogressors.
Authors: Georgia N Ambada; Claudine E Ntsama; Nadesh N Nji; Loveline N Ngu; Carole N Sake; Abel Lissom; Flaurent T Tchouangeu; Jules Tchadji; Martin Sosso; François-Xavier Etoa; Godwin W Nchinda Journal: Immunology Date: 2017-05-18 Impact factor: 7.397
Authors: Anoop T Ambikan; Sara Svensson-Akusjärvi; Shuba Krishnan; Maike Sperk; Piotr Nowak; Jan Vesterbacka; Anders Sönnerborg; Rui Benfeitas; Ujjwal Neogi Journal: Life Sci Alliance Date: 2022-05-10
Authors: Jason F Okulicz; Octavio Mesner; Anuradha Ganesan; Thomas A O'Bryan; Robert G Deiss; Brian K Agan Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-08-21 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Adriana Weinberg; Jane Lindsey; Ronald Bosch; Deborah Persaud; Paul Sato; Anthony Ogwu; Aida Asmelash; Mutsa Bwakura-Dangarambezi; Benjamin H Chi; Jennifer Canniff; Shahin Lockman; Simani Gaseitsiwe; Sikhulile Moyo; Christiana Elizabeth Smith; Natasha O Moraka; Myron J Levin Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2018-01-19 Impact factor: 7.561
Authors: C S McGary; X Alvarez; S Harrington; B Cervasi; E S Ryan; R I Iriele; S Paganini; J L Harper; K Easley; G Silvestri; A A Ansari; M Lichterfeld; L Micci; M Paiardini Journal: Mucosal Immunol Date: 2017-01-04 Impact factor: 7.313
Authors: Jacqueline María Valverde-Villegas; Maria Cristina Cotta Matte; Rúbia Marília de Medeiros; José Artur Bogo Chies Journal: J Immunol Res Date: 2015-10-19 Impact factor: 4.818
Authors: Pushpa Pandiyan; Souheil-Antoine Younes; Susan Pereira Ribeiro; Aarthi Talla; David McDonald; Natarajan Bhaskaran; Alan D Levine; Aaron Weinberg; Rafick P Sekaly Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2016-06-20 Impact factor: 7.561
Authors: Rafiq Nabi; Zina Moldoveanu; Qing Wei; Elizabeth T Golub; Helen G Durkin; Ruth M Greenblatt; Betsy C Herold; Marek J Nowicki; Seble Kassaye; Michael W Cho; Abraham Pinter; Alan L Landay; Jiri Mestecky; Pamela A Kozlowski Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-07-03 Impact factor: 3.240