CD8+ T-Cell Interleukin-7 Receptor Alpha Expression as a Potential Indicator of Disease Status in HIV-Infected Children

Abstract

BackgroundInitiation and modification of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children depend on viral load and CD4+ T-cell count. However, these surrogates have limitations, and complementary immunological markers to assess therapeutic response are needed. Our aim was to evaluate CD8+ T-cell expression of CD127 as a marker of disease status in HIV-infected children, based on adult data suggesting its usefulness. We hypothesized that CD127 expression on CD8+ T-cells is lower in children with more advanced disease.MethodsIn a cross-sectional evaluation, we used flow cytometry to measure CD127+ expression on CD8+ T-cells in whole blood from HIV-infected children with varying disease status. This was compared with expression of CD38 on this subset, currently used in clinical practice as a marker of disease status.Results51 HIV-infected children were enrolled. There was a strong positive correlation between CD127 expression on CD8+ T-cells and CD4+ T-cell count, and height and weight z-scores, and a strong negative correlation between CD127 expression and viral load. In contrast, we found no association between CD38 expression and these disease status markers.ConclusionsCD8+ T-cell CD127 expression is significantly higher in children with better HIV disease control, and may have a role as an immunologic indicator of disease status. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the utility of this marker as a potential indicator of HIV disease progression.

Dynamic analysis of CD127 expression on memory CD8 T cells from patients with chronic hepatitis B during telbivudine treatment

“…Colle et al [ 13 ] reported that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was associated with a decrease in the proportion of CD127 + cells among memory CD8 T lymphocytes, which resulted in a higher CD127 - CD8 T cells count in patients with HIV infection. There was a strong negative correlation between CD127 expression on CD8 T cells and HIV viral load [ 14 ]. All of these results support the hypothesis that high CD127 expression on human CD8 T cells is specific for cleared virus [e.g.…”

Systems biology coupled with label-free high-throughput detection as a novel approach for diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

“…Coupled with its comparative ease of sampling, this makes the analysis of blood components the ultimate target for biomarker applications. Utilising blood samples would provide the opportunity to examine a full spectrum of molecular and cellular components within the diseasespecific fingerprint including (but not exclusively) soluble proteins [50], cell types [203], cellular proteins/markers [204], autoantibodies [205], post-translational modifications [206] and circulating nucleic acids [207,208]. The proposed use of whole blood as a sample would require steps for separation on the basis of size and the ability to lyse cells to extract intracellular components.…”

PD-1 expression on peripheral CD8+ TEM/TEMRA subsets closely correlated with HCV viral load in chronic hepatitis C patients

“…Though the exact role of CD127 in pathogenesis of HCV and HIV-1 infection is still undetermined, numerous studies showed that CD127 might be a potential predicator of clinical status in both adults and children infected by HCV and/or HIV-1[29-31]. CD38 and HLA-DR molecules were regarded as classic immune activators and were widely used to gating activated T cells in cellular immunology [32-34].…”

“…As a subunit (α chain) of IL-7 receptor, CD127/IL-7 system plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis of circulating T cells, including naïve and memory T cells under physiological as well as immune disordered conditions[ 27 , 28 ]. Though the exact role of CD127 in pathogenesis of HCV and HIV-1 infection is still undetermined, numerous studies showed that CD127 might be a potential predicator of clinical status in both adults and children infected by HCV and/or HIV-1[ 29 - 31 ]. CD38 and HLA-DR molecules were regarded as classic immune activators and were widely used to gating activated T cells in cellular immunology [ 32 - 34 ].…”