title: Natural Killer cells from long-term non-progressor HIV patients are characterized by altered phenotype and function.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the innate immune system important in the control of viral infections and recent evidence suggests that they may play a role in the pathogenesis of HIV. Long-term non-progressor (LTNP) HIV patients who control replication of the virus and show a delayed disease progression have naturally occurring successful immune responses to HIV. We investigated a role for NK cells in these patients. In agreement with previous reports, NK cell cytotoxic activity was decreased in viremic HIV patients relative to healthy individuals (p<0.05). Viremic HIV patients showed an altered cell surface phenotype, including a reduction in natural cytotoxicity receptor expression and an increase in leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B member 1 (LILRB1) expression. These phenotypic changes were also present in LTNP patients; however, these patients showed increased levels of NK cell activity relative to viremic HIV patient group.
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Geraldine M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.forename: Clair M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gardiner
mesh_terms: D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011971:Receptors, Immunologic