CD4 ⁺ T Cells, Including Th17 and Cycling Subsets, Are Intact in the Gut Mucosa of HIV-1-Infected Long-Term Nonprogressors

Abstract

During acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, there is a massive depletion of CD4؉ T cells in the gut mucosa that can be reversed to various degrees with antiretroviral therapy. -infected individuals treated with prolonged antiretroviral therapy (ART) (VL [viral load]<50). We found that LTNPs have intact CD4؉ T cell populations, including Th17 and cycling subsets, in the gut mucosa and a preserved T cell population expressing gut homing molecules in the peripheral blood. In addition, we observed no evidence of higher monocyte activation in LTNPs than in HIV-infected (HIV ؊ ) controls. These data suggest that, similar to nonpathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, LTNPs preserve the balance of CD4 ؉ T cell populations in blood and gut mucosa, which may contribute to the lack of disease progression observed in these patients.

Preferential loss of gut-homing α4β7 CD4+ T cells and their circulating functional subsets in acute HIV-1 infection

“…35 Long-term HIV-1 nonprogressors (LTNPs) exhibit intact CD4 1 T-cell populations in the gut mucosa and a preserved balance of CD4 1 T-cell subsets in blood and mucosal sites. 36 Therefore, the protection mechanism of LTNPs may be similar to the effect of early treatment during acute HIV-1 infection, and gut-homing a4b7 CD4 1 T cells may be beneficial in the maintenance of normal CD4 1 Tcell levels in LTNPs and the reconstitution of gut CD4 1 T cells during the early initiation of ART in HIV-1-infected individuals. The effect of early treatment on gut-homing a4b7 CD4 1 T cells should be examined in the future.…”

Immunovirological parameters and cytokines in HIV infection

“…However, Th17 cells were found preserved in LTNP individuals 90 . Similar results were found in studies 89,91 to SIV infection, when the non-human primate with progressive infection were compared to those with non-pathogenic infection and, the last group presented good control of virus replication and showed the capacity to maintain a normal level of Th17 cells in blood and intestinal mucosa 89,91 .…”

Immunotherapies and Vaccines

“…The composition of the CD4+ T cell population recovered after therapy was evaluated at the end of the study to determine if the increase CD4+ T cells population was any different from populations seen after HAART therapy. Other T cells have also come into light in the last few years, Th17 cells and cells that secret IL-21 may play a role in the non-disease progression seen in African green monkeys and Sooty Mangabeys (Ciccone, Greenwald et al 2011;Hartigan-O'Connor, Hirao et al 2011;Milush, Mir et al 2011). These trends are also being reported in long-term non-progressors and elite controllers (Hartigan-O'Connor, Hirao et al 2011;Salgado, Rallun et al 2011;Salgado, RallÛn et al 2011).…”