Expression levels of TLRs involved in viral recognition in PBMCs from HIV-1-infected patients failing antiretroviral therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether gene expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3, TLR4, TLR7 and TLR9 was impaired in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection who were failing to respond to antiretroviral therapy.


METHODS
Transcripts encoding TLRs were assayed by quantitative real time RT-PCR on peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from patients with HIV-1 infection who were responding or not responding to antiretroviral therapy and healthy control subjects.


RESULTS
Chronic HIV-1-infected patients who failed to respond to therapy showed reduced expression of TLRs 3, 4 and 9, together with increased expression of TLR7, as compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, a trend towards a higher expression of TLR3 and TLR9 was observed in responder patients compared with non-responders. In addition, we found lower levels of TRLs 3, 7 and 9 in patients with high levels of HIV-1 RNA compared to those with lower levels of viremia.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that in chronic HIV-1-positive patients who were failing to respond to the therapy, there were substantial changes in TLRs expression. This is likely to be an important determinant of the clinical course of HIV-1 infection.
Virology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University, Viale di Porta Tiburtina 28, Rome, Italy. carolina.scagnolari@uniroma1.it
Carolina
C
Scagnolari
Carla
C
Selvaggi
Luisa
L
Chiavuzzo
Teresa
T
Carbone
Lorenzo
L
Zaffiri
Gabriella
G
d'Ettorre
Enrico
E
Girardi
Ombretta
O
Turriziani
Vincenzo
V
Vullo
Guido
G
Antonelli
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors