Progressive CD127 down-regulation correlates with increased apoptosis of CD8 T cells during chronic HIV-1 infection.
Chronic HIV-1 infection can induce a significant decrease in CD127 expression on CD8 T cells, but the underlying mechanisms and immunological consequences are unclear. In this study, we investigated CD127 expression on CD8 T cells from a total of 51 HIV-1-infected subjects and 16 healthy individuals and analyzed the association between CD127 expression and CD8 T-cell apoptosis in these HIV-1-infected subjects. We found that CD127 expression on total CD8 T cells was significantly down-regulated, which was correlated with the increased CD8 T-cell apoptosis and disease progression of chronic HIV-1 infection. The in vitro addition of IL-7 efficiently rescued the spontaneous apoptosis of CD8 T cells from HIV-1-infected individuals. IL-7 stimulation also transiently down-regulated CD127 expression, whereas some of the CD127(-) CD8 T cells regained CD127 expression soon after IL-7 was retracted from the incubation medium. Thus, IL-7 stimulation reduced apoptosis of both CD127(+) and CD127(-)CD8 T cells to some degree. These data indicate that CD127 loss might impair IL-7 signaling and increase CD8 T-cell apoptosis during HIV-1 infection. This study, therefore, will extend the notion that IL-7 could be a good candidate for immunotherapy in HIV-1-infected patients.
Center for Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, P. R. China.
Shu-Ye
SY
Zhang
Zheng
Z
Zhang
Jun-Liang
JL
Fu
Fu-Biao
FB
Kang
Xiang-Sheng
XS
Xu
Wei-Min
WM
Nie
Chun-Bao
CB
Zhou
Min
M
Zhao
Fu-Sheng
FS
Wang
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
C508605:IL7 protein, human; D015851:Interleukin-7; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit; D012367:RNA, Viral