title: HIV-1 Nef equips dendritic cells to reduce survival and function of CD8+ T cells: a mechanism of immune evasion.
abstract: The accessory HIV-1 Nef protein is a crucial determinant for viral replication and pathogenesis. During HIV infection, loss of immune control in the setting of a strong and broad HIV-specific T-lymphocyte response, leads to a lethal outcome through AIDS. Moreover, dysfunction of dendritic cells (DCs) may contribute to the immune suppression associated with AIDS progression. We recently demonstrated that exogenous Nef selectively activates immature DCs manipulating their phenotypical, morphological, and functional developmental program. Here, we tracked whether Nef, targeting DCs, could be involved in the dysregulation of CD8+ T cell responses. We found that Nef inhibits the capacity of DCs to prime alloreactive CD8+ T cell responses down-regulating their proliferation and functional competence. This coincides with the induction of CD8+ T cell apoptosis. Nef oversees apoptotic killing of CD8+ T cells up-regulating TNF-alpha and FasL production by DCs and interfering with the death receptor pathway in CD8+ T cells and thus activating caspase 8. Our findings suggest that Nef may contribute to the immune evasion associated with HIV-1 infection, subverting DC biology. This may help explain the pleiotropic function that Nef plays during infection and makes this protein an attractive target for preventive and therapeutic intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Quaranta
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giordani
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viora
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D053181:Caspase 8; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045142:Cross-Priming / Q000187:drug effects; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D015693:Gene Products, nef / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007519:Isoantigens; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; D053181:Caspase 8; D020169:Caspases