title: IL-7 stimulates T cell renewal without increasing viral replication in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected macaques.
abstract: The main failure of antiretroviral therapy is the lack of restoration of HIV-specific CD4(+) T cells. IL-7, which has been shown to be a crucial cytokine for thymopoiesis, has been envisaged as an additive therapeutic strategy. However, in vitro studies suggest that IL-7 might sustain HIV replication in thymocytes and T lymphocytes. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the effect of IL-7 on both T cell renewal and viral load in SIVmac-infected young macaques in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. This evaluation was conducted during the asymptomatic phase in view of a potential treatment of HIV patients. We show that IL-7 induces both a central renewal and a peripheral expansion of T lymphocytes associated with cell activation. No alarming modulation of the other hemopoietic cells was observed. No increase in the viral load was shown in blood or lymph nodes. These data strengthen the rationale for the use of IL-7 as an efficient immunotherapy in AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Biologie des Rétrovirus Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Thérèse
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Nugeyre
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Monceaux
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beq
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cumont
authors.forename: Raphaël
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ho Tsong Fang
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chêne
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morre
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barré-Sinoussi
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hurtrel
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Israël
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000502:physiology; D007399:Interphase / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015851:Interleukin-7; D011994:Recombinant Proteins