title: Cell surface markers of regulatory T cells are not associated with increased forkhead box p3 expression in blood CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected patients responding to antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: Regulatory T (Treg) cells may attenuate host immune responses to pathogens, including HIV and opportunistic pathogens in HIV-infected patients. Treated and untreated progressive HIV disease represent a range of immunological scenarios with potentially different roles for Treg cells. A cell surface marker to determine Treg cell numbers would assist in identifying situations where Treg cells are important. Here we show that levels of Foxp3 mRNA are increased in CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected patients responding to antiretroviral therapy. However, the proportion of peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing CD25, neuropilin-1, glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor and lymphocyte activation gene-3 did not differ as a result of treated or untreated HIV infection when compared with HIV-seronegative controls. Hence, none of the putative Treg cell surface markers identified T-cell populations in peripheral blood that mirrored the effects of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy on Foxp3 expression.
authors.affiliation: School of Surgery and Pathology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia. alyf82@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Andrew Y-F
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Manfred W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beilharz
authors.forename: Martyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: French
mesh_terms: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood*; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood; D039942:Neuropilin-1 / Q000097:blood; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication; D000093322:Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C491405:TNFRSF18 protein, human; D039942:Neuropilin-1; D000093322:Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein; C000720326:Lag3 protein, human