HMGB1-dependent triggering of HIV-1 replication and persistence in dendritic cells as a consequence of NK-DC cross-talk.
BACKGROUND
HIV-1 has evolved ways to exploit DCs, thereby facilitating viral dissemination and allowing evasion of antiviral immunity. Recently, the fate of DCs has been found to be extremely dependent on the interaction with autologous NK cells, but the mechanisms by which NK-DC interaction controls viral infections remain unclear. Here, we investigate the impact of NK-DC cross-talk on maturation and functions of HIV-infected immature DCs.


RESULTS
Immature DCs were derived from primary monocytes, cultured in the presence of IL-4 and GM-CSF. In some experiments, DCs were infected with R5-HIV-1(BaL) or X4-HIV-1(NDK), and viral replication, proviral HIV-DNA and the frequency of infected DCs were measured. Autologous NK cells were sorted and either kept unstimulated in the presence of suboptimal concentration of IL-2, or activated by a combination of PHA and IL-2. The impact of 24 h NK-DC cross-talk on the fate of HIV-1-infected DCs was analyzed. We report that activated NK cells were required for the induction of maturation of DCs, whether uninfected or HIV-1-infected, and this process involved HMGB1. However, the cross-talk between HIV-1-infected DCs and activated NK cells was functionally defective, as demonstrated by the strong impairment of DCs to induce Th1 polarization of naïve CD4 T cells. This was associated with the defective production of IL-12 and IL-18 by infected DCs. Moreover, the crosstalk between activated NK cells and HIV-infected DCs resulted in a dramatic increase in viral replication and proviral DNA expression in DCs. HMGB1, produced both by NK cells and DCs, was found to play a pivotal role in this process, and inhibition of HMGB1 activity by glycyrrhizin, known to bind specifically to HMGB1, or blocking anti-HMGB1 antibodies, abrogated NK-dependent HIV-1 replication in DCs.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations provide evidence for the crucial role of NK-DC cross-talk in promoting viral dissemination, and challenge the question of the in vivo involvement of HMGB1 in the triggering of HIV-1 replication and replenishment of viral reservoirs in AIDS.
Saïdi
Héla
H
Institut Pasteur, Antiviral Immunity, Biotherapy and Vaccine Unit, INSERM U668, Paris, France.
Melki
Marie-Thérèse
MT
Gougeon
Marie-Lise
ML
D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000276:immunology*; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens