Immunosenescence of CD4+ T cells in male homosexual patients with HIV-1
infection
Abstract
The average lifespan of HIV-infected subjects remains shorter compared
to uninfected individuals. Immunosenescence may be responsible for this
difference despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) with
successful viral suppression. Here, we evaluated the effects of HIV and
ART exposure on T cell aging in male homosexual HIV subjects. CD4+ T
cell activation (HLA-DR+) and senescence (CD57+) markers were analyzed
by flow cytometry, and telomere length was quantified by real-time PCR.
Specifically, we observed an increase in activation and senescence
markers on total CD4+ T cell populations in HIV-infected subjects. We
also observed a reduction in senescence markers on terminally
differentiated memory T(TemRA) cells and activation markers on central
memory T(TCM), effector memory T(TEM), and TemRA cells in ART-treated
HIV subjects. Furthermore, we also observed an extension of telomere
length in memory CD4+ T cells, rather than naive CD4+ T cells, after
viral control by ART. Our results indicate that HIV-infected patients
exhibit a premature T cell aging phenotype with accelerated immune
senescence. Partial recovery of immune senescence and differentiation
aberrances is achieved in CD4+ T cells in HIV patients on ART. Overall,
these results suggest that HIV infection, rather than ART exposure,
influences the T cell aging process.