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Reduction in terminally differentiated T cells in virologically controlled HIV-infected aging patients on long-term antiretroviral therapy.

Authors :
Behrens, Nicole E.
Wertheimer, Anne
Klotz, Stephen A.
Ahmad, Nafees
Source :
PLoS ONE; 6/13/2018, Vol. 13 Issue 6, p1-17, 17p
Publication Year :
2018

Abstract

Several studies have shown an increased accumulation of terminally differentiated T cells during HIV infection, suggestive of exhaustion/senescence, causing dysregulation of T cell homeostasis and function and rapid HIV disease progression. We have investigated whether long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART), which controls viremia and restores CD4 T cell counts, is correlated with reduction in terminally differentiated T cells, improved ratios of naïve to memory and function of T cells in 100 virologically controlled HIV-infected patients. We show that while the median frequencies of terminally differentiated CD4<superscript>+</superscript> and CD8<superscript>+</superscript> T cells (CD28<superscript>-</superscript>, CD27<superscript>-</superscript>, CD57<superscript>+</superscript> and CD28<superscript>-</superscript>CD57<superscript>+</superscript>), were higher in the virologically controlled HIV-infected patients’ cohort compared with uninfected individuals’ cohort, the frequencies of these cells significantly decreased with increasing CD4 T cell counts in HIV-infected patients. Although, the naïve CD4<superscript>+</superscript> and CD8<superscript>+</superscript> T cells were lower in HIV patients’ cohort than uninfected cohort, there was a significant increase in both naïve CD4<superscript>+</superscript> and CD8<superscript>+</superscript> T cells with increasing CD4 T cell counts in HIV-infected patients. The underlying mechanism behind this increased naïve CD4<superscript>+</superscript> and CD8<superscript>+</superscript> T cells in HIV-infected patients was due to an increase in recent thymic emigrants, CD4<superscript>+</superscript>CD31<superscript>+</superscript>, as compared to CD4<superscript>+</superscript>CD31<superscript>-</superscript>. The CD4<superscript>+</superscript> T cells of HIV-infected patients produced cytokines, including IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ comparable to uninfected individuals. In conclusion, virologically controlled HIV-infected patients on long-term ART show a significant reduction in terminally differentiated T cells, suggestive of decreased exhaustion/senescence, and improvement in the ratios of naïve to memory and function of T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19326203
Volume :
13
Issue :
6
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
PLoS ONE
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
130135219
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199101