Open AccessWuchereria bancrofti infection is linked to systemic activation of CD4 and CD8 T cells
Author(s) -
Inge Kroidl,
Mkunde Chachage,
Jonathan Mnkai,
Anthony Nsojo,
Myrna Berninghoff,
Jaco J. Verweij,
Lucas Maganga,
Nyanda Elias Ntinginya,
Leonard Maboko,
Petra Clowes,
Michael Höelscher,
Elmar Saathoff,
Christof Geldmacher
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007623
Subject(s) - wuchereria bancrofti , immunology , coinfection , biology , schistosoma haematobium , cd38 , lymphatic filariasis , helminthiasis , trichuris trichiura , virology , schistosomiasis , ascaris lumbricoides , helminths , filariasis , virus , genetics , stem cell , cd34
Background Susceptibility to HIV has been linked to systemic CD4+ T cell activation in cohorts of seronegative individuals with high HIV-exposure risk. We recently described an increased risk of HIV transmission in individuals infected with Wuchereria bancrofti , the causative agent for lymphatic filariasis, in a prospective cohort study. However, the reason for this phenomenon needs further investigation. Methodology/Principal findings Two-hundred and thirty-five HIV negative adults were tested using Trop Bio ELISA for detection of W . bancrofti infection and Kato Katz urine filtration and stool based RT-PCR for detection of soil transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis. FACS analysis of the fresh peripheral whole blood was used to measure T cell activation markers (HLA-DR, CD38), differentiation markers (CD45, CD27), markers for regulatory T cells (FoxP3, CD25) and the HIV entry receptor CCR5. Frequencies of activated HLA-DR pos CD4 T cells were significantly increased in subjects with W . bancrofti infection (n = 33 median: 10.71%) compared to subjects without any helminth infection (n = 42, median 6.97%, p = 0.011) or those with other helminths ( Schistosoma haematobium , S . mansoni , Trichuris trichiura , Ascaris lumbricoides , hookworm) (n = 151, median 7.38%, p = 0.009). Similarly, a significant increase in HLA-DR pos CD38 pos CD4 T cells and effector memory cells CD4 T cells (CD45RO pos CD27 neg ) was observed in filarial infected participants. Multivariable analyses further confirmed a link between W . bancrofti infection and systemic activation of CD4 T cells independent of age, fever, gender or other helminth infections. Conclusions/Significance W . bancrofti infection is linked to systemic CD4 T cell activation, which may contribute to the increased susceptibility of W . bancrofti infected individuals to HIV infection.