Decreased CD127 expression on T Cells in HIV-1-infected adults receiving antiretroviral therapy with or without intermittent IL-2 therapy.
BACKGROUND
The interleukin-7 (IL-7)/IL-7 receptor alpha (IL-7Ralpha) system is an important regulator of T-cell homeostasis. We evaluated the IL-7/IL-7Ralpha system in a large cohort of HIV-infected patients, including a subset treated with intermittent IL-2.


METHODS
IL-7 serum levels and CD127 (IL-7Ralpha) expression on T cells were evaluated in a cross-sectional study of 36 healthy volunteers, 151 HIV-infected patients, and 83 HIV-infected patients who had received IL-2 therapy. Multivariate regression models were used to determine predictors of CD127 expression.


RESULTS
HIV-infected patients had higher IL-7 levels compared with healthy volunteers (P = 0.022) and IL-2-treated patients (P = 0.012). CD127 expression was significantly lower on CD4 and CD8 T cells of HIV-infected patients compared with healthy volunteers (P = 0.008 and P < 0.001, respectively), and CD127 median fluorescence intensity was lowest on CD4 T cells in IL-2-treated patients (P < 0.001 compared with HIV-infected patients). The proportion of naive and effector memory/effector T cells were significant predictors of CD127 expression on T cells. IL-2 immunotherapy led to the expansion of a CD25/CD127-low subset of CD4 T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
CD127 expression on T cells remains low in HIV-infected patients despite antiretroviral therapy, reflecting persistent aberration in the subset composition of the T-cell pool.
Read
Sarah W
SW
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. readsa@niaid.nih.gov
Higgins
Jeanette
J
Metcalf
Julia A
JA
Stevens
Randy A
RA
Rupert
Adam
A
Nason
Martha C
MC
Lane
H Clifford
HC
Sereti
Irini
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000097:blood; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015851:Interleukin-7; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7