CD25+CD4+ Regulatory T Cells from the Peripheral Blood of Asymptomatic HIV-infected Individuals Regulate CD4+ and CD8+ HIV-specific T Cell Immune …

AL Kinter, M Hennessey, A Bell, S Kern, Y Lin… - The Journal of …, 2004 - rupress.org
AL Kinter, M Hennessey, A Bell, S Kern, Y Lin, M Daucher, M Planta, M McGlaughlin…
The Journal of experimental medicine, 2004rupress.org
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is associated with loss of CD4+ T cells,
chronic immune activation, and progressive immune dysfunction. HIV-specific responses,
particularly those of CD4+ T cells, become impaired early after infection, before the loss of
responses directed against other antigens; the basis for this diminution has not been
elucidated fully. The potential role of CD25+ CD4+ regulatory T cells (T reg cells), previously
shown to inhibit immune responses directed against numerous pathogens, as suppressors …
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is associated with loss of CD4+ T cells, chronic immune activation, and progressive immune dysfunction. HIV-specific responses, particularly those of CD4+ T cells, become impaired early after infection, before the loss of responses directed against other antigens; the basis for this diminution has not been elucidated fully. The potential role of CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells (T reg cells), previously shown to inhibit immune responses directed against numerous pathogens, as suppressors of HIV-specific T cell responses was investigated. In the majority of healthy HIV-infected individuals, CD25+CD4+ T cells significantly suppressed cellular proliferation and cytokine production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in response to HIV antigens/peptides in vitro; these effects were cell contact dependent and IL-10 and TGF-β independent. Individuals with strong HIV-specific CD25+ T reg cell function in vitro had significantly lower levels of plasma viremia and higher CD4+: CD8+ T cell ratios than did those individuals in whom this activity could not be detected. These in vitro data suggest that CD25+CD4+ T reg cells may contribute to the diminution of HIV-specific T cell immune responses in vivo in the early stages of HIV disease.
rupress.org