Chemokine receptor expression in HIV-positive persons with oropharyngeal candidiasis.
OBJECTIVE
In HIV+ persons with reduced CD4+ T cells, oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is often associated with the accumulation of CD8+ T cells at the epithelial/lamina propria interface within the lesion together with increased tissue-associated cytokines and chemokines. Despite this reactivity, a dysfunction in the ability of the CD8+ cells to reach the organism at the outer epithelium is postulated. The purpose of this study was to examine chemokine receptors present in the OPC lesions for a potential role in susceptibility to infection.


METHODS
Biopsies taken from buccal mucosa of HIV- persons, healthy mucosa of HIV+ OPC- persons, and OPC lesions were processed for protein immunohistochemical staining or RNA analysis by real-time PCR and Superarray.


RESULTS
There was little change in expression of chemokine receptors at the protein or RNA level between OPC+ and OPC- tissue. At the protein level, increases occurred in OPC+ persons only if associated with CD8 cells. In the Superarray, of the 22 chemokine receptor mRNAs expressed, c. 90% remained unchanged (< 1.0-fold change) between HIV- and HIV+ tissue and between HIV+ OPC- and HIV+ OPC+ tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
Tissue-associated chemokine receptor expression does not appear to contribute to the dysfunction in cellular migration associated with susceptibility to OPC.
Lilly
E A
EA
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and School of Dentistry, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA.
Leigh
J E
JE
McNulty
K M
KM
Joseph
S H
SH
Mercante
D E
DE
Fidel
P L
PL
D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000276:immunology*; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000032:analysis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000032:analysis*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
C515334:CCR2 protein, human; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine