Open AccessVirus-Specific Interleukin-17-Producing CD4 + T Cells Are Detectable in Early Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection
Author(s) -
Feng Yun Yue,
Asad A. Merchant,
Colin Kovacs,
Mona Loutfy,
Desmond Persad,
Mario Ostrowski
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.02550-07
Subject(s) - biology , virology , virus , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , interleukin 2 , immunology , cytokine
TH -17 cells have been shown to play a role in bacterial defense, acute inflammation, and autoimmunity. We examined the role of interleukin 17 (IL-17) production in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Both HIV-1- and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific IL-17-producing CD4+ T cells were detectable in early HIV-1 infection but were reduced to nondetectable levels in chronic and nonprogressive HIV-1 infection. IL-17-producing CMV-specific cells were not detected in blood from HIV-1-uninfected normal volunteers. Virus-specific TH -17 cells could coexpress other cytokines and could express CCR4 or CXCR3. Although the etiology of these cells has yet to be established, we propose that microbial translocation may induce them.