Interleukin-10-secreting T cells define a suppressive subset within the HIV-1-specific T-cell population.
Recent studies have indicated that Treg contribute to the HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-related immune pathogenesis. However, it is not clear whether T cells with suppressive properties reside within the HIV-1-specific T-cell population. Here, PBMC from HIV-1-infected individuals were stimulated with a 15-mer Gag peptide pool, and HIV-1-specific T cells were enriched by virtue of their secretion of IL-10 or IFN-gamma using immunomagnetic cell-sorting. Neither the IL-10-secreting cells nor the IFN-gamma-secreting cells expressed the Treg marker FOXP3, yet the IL-10-secreting cells potently suppressed anti-CD3/CD28-induced CD4(+) as well as CD8(+) T-cell proliferative responses. As shown by intracellular cytokine staining, IL-10- and IFN-gamma-producing T cells represent distinct subsets of the HIV-1-specific T cells. Our data collectively suggest that functionally defined HIV-1-specific T-cell subsets harbor potent immunoregulatory properties that may contribute to HIV-1-associated T-cell dysfunction.
Torheim
Eirik A
EA
The Biotechnology Centre of Oslo and Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Nordic EMBL Partnership, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Ndhlovu
Lishomwa C
LC
Pettersen
Frank O
FO
Larsen
Trine-Lise
TL
Jha
Aashish R
AR
Torgersen
Knut M
KM
Kvale
Dag
D
Nixon
Douglas F
DF
Taskén
Kjetil
K
Aandahl
Einar M
EM
D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma