HIV‐exposed seronegative commercial sex workers show a quiescent phenotype in the CD4+ T cell compartment and reduced expression of HIV‐dependent host factors.
Studies of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposed seronegative individuals are crucial to inform vaccine design. In the present study we demonstrated that HIV-exposed seronegative commercial sex workers produce lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines at baseline than HIV-negative control subjects. We also showed that CD4+ T cells of HIV-exposed seronegative commercial sex workers have a characteristically lower level of gene expression that can be seen in differentially expressed genes and systems crucial for HIV replication, such as the T cell receptor pathway and previously identified HIV dependency factors. This apparent lowered activation results in a phenomenon we term "immune quiescence," which may contribute to host resistance to HIV.
McLaren
Paul J
PJ
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Ontario, Canada.
Ball
T Blake
TB
Wachihi
Charles
C
Jaoko
Walter
W
Kelvin
David J
DJ
Danesh
Ali
A
Kimani
Joshua
J
Plummer
Francis A
FA
Fowke
Keith R
KR
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D011477:Sex Work
D016207:Cytokines