title: Loss of the CD56hiCD16- NK cell subset and NK cell interferon-gamma production during antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1: partial recovery by human growth hormone.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that human natural killer (NK) cells are lost from the periphery and are functionally suppressed during HIV-1 infection, and that the administration of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) results in a recovery of NK cell numbers in HIV-1-infected individuals. However, despite this recovery, interleukin (IL)-2 + IL-12-driven interferon (IFN)-gamma production by NK cells has been shown to remain suppressed after HAART. Here we show that the innate immune factor IL-15 in combination with IL-12 is also unable to recover NK cell IFN-gamma production in HAART-treated individuals. Furthermore, we also demonstrate an imbalance in the distribution of CD56loCD16hi and CD56hiCD16- NK subsets after successful HAART, CD56hiCD16- cells being reduced substantially in HIV-1 patients on HAART. Treatment of patients with combined human growth hormone and antiretroviral therapy resulted in further enhancement in the absolute numbers and the proportion of NK cells in some individuals in the absence of parallel effects on CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, in these individuals HAART with growth hormone resulted in an enhancement of cytokine-driven NK cell activation and IFN-gamma production compared to the HAART-only baseline.
authors: Department of Immunology, Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK. m.goodier@ic.ac.uk
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Goodier
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Imami
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Moyle
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Gazzard
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Gotch
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D018664:Interleukin-12; D019409:Interleukin-15; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D000099192:CD69 Antigens