title: CCR5 and CXCR4 chemokine receptor expression and beta-chemokine production during early T cell repopulation induced by highly active anti-retroviral therapy.
abstract: Expression of chemokine receptors and beta-chemokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined in HIV-1-infected individuals before and after highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) and their relationship to viral load, T cell phenotype and the expression of immunological activation markers was examined. We found that the expression of CCR5 is up-regulated in HIV-1-infected individuals while CXCR4 appears down-regulated on both CD4 and CD8 T cells compared with normal controls. These alterations are associated with the high levels of viral load. In addition, a relationship was observed between the degree of immune activation and chemokine receptor expression on T cells. However, after 3 months of combined anti-retroviral regimen, expression of CXCR4 significantly increased while CCR5 decreased when compared with pretherapy determinations. This was seen in strict association with a dramatic decrease of viral load and an increase of both CD45RA+/CD62L+ (naive) and CD45RA-/CD62L+ or CD45RA+/CD62L- (memory) T cells accompanied by a significant decrease of the expression of immune activation markers such as HLA-DR and CD38. At enrolment, both spontaneous and lectin-induced RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) and MIP-1beta production by PBMC were higher in HIV-1-infected individuals compared with normal controls, although differences for MIP-1beta were not statistically significant. However, RANTES and MIP-1alpha production decreased during HAART at levels closer to that determined with normal controls, while MIP-1beta production was less consistently modified. These data indicate that the expression of chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4 and the production of beta-chemokines are altered in HIV-infected individuals, and suggest that their early modifications during HAART reflect both the peripheral redistribution of naive/memory T cell compartments and the decrease in levels of T cell activation. Such modifications in the expression of host determinants of viral tropism and the production of anti-viral molecules may play a role in the emergence of virus variants when a failure of HAART occurs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovannetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ensoli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzetta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Cristofaro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pierdominici
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Muratori
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fiorelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aiuti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D037102:Lectins; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4