CD8 T-cells from most HIV-infected patients lack ex vivo HIV-suppressive capacity during acute and early infection

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 3; p. e59767
• Main Authors: Lécuroux, Camille, Girault, Isabelle, Chéret, Antoine, Versmisse, Pierre, Nembot, Georges, Meyer, Laurence, Rouzioux, Christine, Pancino, Gianfranco, Venet, Alain, Sáez-Cirión, Asier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 29.03.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Antigens; Antiretroviral drugs; Biology; CD4 antigen; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - cytology; CD8 antigen; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - virology; Cells, Cultured; Chronic infection; Clinical trials; Cytokines; Cytokines - metabolism; Cytotoxicity; Disease Progression; Drug therapy; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - physiology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immunology; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interleukin-2 - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Life Sciences; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Male; Medicine; Middle Aged; Patients; Plasma; T cell receptors; Time Factors; Viral Load; Viremia; Virology; Virus Replication; France; HIV-1; HIV Infections; Acute Disease; Interleukin-2; Cytokines; Mononuclear; Humans; Middle Aged; Male; Leukocytes; Cells; Disease Progression; Viral Load; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Time Factors; Virus Replication; Female; Adult; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cultured
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059767

The strong CD8+ T-cell-mediated HIV-1-suppressive capacity found in a minority of HIV-infected patients in chronic infection is associated with spontaneous control of viremia. However, it is still unclear whether such capacities were also present earlier in the CD8+ T cells from non controller patients and then lost as a consequence of uncontrolled viral replication. We studied 50 patients with primary HIV-1-infection to determine whether strong CD8+ T-cell-mediated HIV suppression is more often observed at that time. Despite high frequencies of polyfunctional HIV-specific CD8+ T-cells and a strong CD4+ T-helper response, CD8+ T-cells from 48 patients lacked strong HIV-suppressive capacities ex vivo. This indicates that the superior HIV-suppressive capacity of CD8+ T-cells from HIV controllers is not a general characteristic of the HIV-specific CD8+ T cell response in primary HIV infection.