title: Expression levels of P-glycoprotein in peripheral blood CD8+ T lymphocytes from HIV-1-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: In this study, we aimed to measure P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in CD8(+) T lymphocytes of HIV-1-infected patients, to investigate how P-gp levels are affected by antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-1 infection, and to assess the value of using P-gp expression to predict virologic response to ART. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from a cohort of HIV-1‑infected patients in China: 140 patients on ART, and 49 ART-naïve patients. We also enrolled 24 healthy blood donors as the controls. The expression levels of P-gp in CD8(+) T cells of HIV-1-infected patients were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, ELISA and flow cytometry. A high inter-individual variability was observed in the CD8(+) T cells of both HIV-1-infected patients and healthy donors; however, the expression levels of P-gp were significantly higher in the HIV-1-infected group on ART compared to the ART-naïve group. The relative proportion of P-gp(+)CD8(+) T cells inversely correlated with the blood CD4(+) T cell count in the HIV-1‑infected patients on ART (r=-0.3343, P=0.0375). Groups of both good and poor responders showed significantly elevated levels of P-gp(+)CD8(+) T cells. The percentage of P-gp(+)CD8(+) T cells appeared to provide a sensitive estimate of the virologic response to ART compared to the CD4(+) T cell count. Our results suggest that P-gp expression varies among HIV-1‑infected patients, but is significantly higher in HIV-1‑infected patients on ART. The overexpression of P-gp is involved in ART initiation during HIV-1 infection, and P-gp(+)CD8(+) T cells may be an additional criterion for the evaluation of the antiretroviral response to ART.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Command, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P.R. China.
authors: Jiu-Cong
authors: JC
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Stress Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100039, P.R. China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Xie
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Command, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P.R. China.
authors: Xiao-Hui
authors: XH
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Command, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P.R. China.
authors: Zhi-Yun
authors: ZY
authors: Deng
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Command, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P.R. China.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Liang
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710038, P.R. China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Command, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P.R. China.
authors: Fang-Xin
authors: FX
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1