Open Accessγδ T Cells Are Involved in Acute HIV Infection and Associated with AIDS Progression
Author(s) -
Zhen Li,
Wei Li,
Ning Li,
Yanmei Jiao,
Dexi Chen,
Liyuan Cui,
Yu Hu,
Hao Wu,
He Wang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0106064
Subject(s) - cd8 , flow cytometry , immunology , t cell , population , cytotoxicity , cytotoxic t cell , cell , medicine , biology , immune system , in vitro , biochemistry , genetics , environmental health
Background Early diagnosis is vital to HIV control. γδ T cells play critical roles in viral infections, but their activation in acute HIV infected patients and follow up to 18 months has not been described. Methods Changes in γδ T cells, including subsets, function and activation, in treated and untreated acutely HIV-infected patients (n = 79) were compared by cytotoxicity assay and flow cytometry with healthy controls (n = 21) at month 0, 6, 12 and 18. Results In acutely HIV-infected patients, Vδ1 cell proportion was elevated ( P = 0.027) with Vδ2 population reduced ( P = 0.002). Effector and central memory γδ T cell factions were decreased ( P = 0.006 and P = 0.001, respectively), while proportion of terminal γδ T cells increased ( P = 0.002). γδ T cell cytotoxicity was compromised over time. Fraction of IL-17-producing cells increased ( P = 0.008), and IFN-γ-producing cells were unaffected ( P = 0.115). Elevation of a microbial translocation marker, sCD14, was associated with γδ T cell activation ( P = 0.001), which increased in a time-dependent manner, correlating with CD4/CD8 T cell activation set-points and CD4 counts. Antiretroviral therapy did not affect these changes. Conclusions γδ T cell subpopulation and functions change significantly in acute HIV infection and over time. Early γδ T cell activation was associated with CD4/CD8 T cell activation set-points, which predict AIDS progression. Therefore, γδ T cell activation represents a potential surrogate marker of AIDS progression.