title: Preserved function of regulatory T cells in chronic HIV-1 infection despite decreased numbers in blood and tissue.
abstract: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are potent immune modulators, but their role in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) pathogenesis remains poorly understood. We performed a detailed analysis of the frequency and function of Tregs in a large cohort of HIV-1-infected individuals and HIV-1 negative controls. While HIV "elite controllers" and uninfected individuals had similar Treg numbers and frequencies, the absolute numbers of Tregs declined in blood and gut-associated lymphoid tissue in patients with chronic progressive HIV-1 infection. Despite quantitative changes in Tregs, HIV-1 infection was not associated with an impairment of ex vivo suppressive function of flow-sorted Tregs in both HIV controllers and untreated chronic progressors.
authors.affiliation: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Charlestown, MA 02129-2000, USA.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angin
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Streeck
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezai
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Tomoyuki C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hongo
authors.forename: Augustine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pyo
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piechocka-Trocha
authors.forename: Ildiko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: Florencia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pereyra
authors.forename: Musie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghebremichael
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rodig
authors.forename: Danny A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altfeld
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Bruce D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Marylyn M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Addo
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral