Premature induction of an immunosuppressive regulatory T cell response during acute simian immunodeficiency virus infection.
Here we report the results of an investigation into the possibility that one mechanism responsible for the establishment of persistent human immunodeficiency virus infection is an early regulatory T (Treg) cell response that blunts virus-specific responses. Using the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaque model, we show that, indeed, viral replication and immune activation in lymphatic tissue drive a premature immunosuppressive response, with dramatic increases in the frequencies of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Treg cells, transforming growth factor- beta 1+ cells, interleukin-10+ cells, and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase+CD3+ cells. When we compared SIV infection with rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) infection, we found that the frequency of Treg cells paralleled the magnitude of immune activation during both infections but that the magnitude of immune activation and of the Treg cell response were lower and peaked much later during RhCMV infection. Importantly, the frequency of Treg cells inversely correlated with the magnitude of the SIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte response. We conclude that an early Treg cell response during acute SIV infection may contribute to viral persistence by prematurely limiting the antiviral immune response before infection is cleared.
Estes
Jacob D
JD
Department of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
Li
Qingsheng
Q
Reynolds
Matthew R
MR
Wietgrefe
Stephen
S
Duan
Lijie
L
Schacker
Timothy
T
Picker
Louis J
LJ
Watkins
David I
DI
Lifson
Jeffrey D
JD
Reilly
Cavan
C
Carlis
John
J
Haase
Ashley T
AT
D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / Q000032:analysis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016753:Interleukin-10