title: Redistribution of FOXP3-positive regulatory T cells from lymphoid tissues to peripheral blood in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Regulatory T (Treg) cells are altered during HIV replication, but their role in chronic infection is controversial and lacks reproducibility between series. FOXP3 is a specific marker of Treg cells. We study for the first time FOXP3 expression in a unique series of paired samples at different time points of HIV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired samples from lymphoid tissue and peripheral blood were simultaneously obtained from 27 HIV-infected patients (before and after highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART]) and 6 controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed FOXP3 expression by TaqMan (Universal PCR Master Mix; Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in lymphoid tissue and peripheral blood. Treg cells were assessed in lymphoid tissue by immunohistochemistry/computer image analysis and in peripheral blood by flow cytometry. CD4 cell counts and viral loads were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV-infected patients had a low FOXP3 copy number and Treg cell frequencies in lymphoid tissue but a high number of Treg cells in peripheral blood. Lymphoid tissue FOXP3 expression decreased after HAART, and it correlated to lymphoid tissue viral load. Patients treated with nonnucleoside HAART had the lowest lymphoid tissue FOXP3 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-infected patients had low FOXP3 expression in lymphoid tissue and redistributed Treg to peripheral blood. HAART reduced even more the proportion of lymphoid tissue Treg in association with the immunologic recovery observed after treatment. The type of HAART may have an impact on the distribution of Treg cells.
authors.affiliation: Hematopathology Section, Department of Pathology, Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mozos
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carreras
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plana
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Llucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alos
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors