title: Th1 and Th17 proinflammatory profile characterizes invariant natural killer T cells in virologically suppressed HIV+ patients with low CD4+/CD8+ ratio.
abstract: Scanty data exist on the phenotype and functionality of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells in HIV-infected (HIV+) patients.
  
  
  
  By flow cytometry, we studied iNKT cells from 54 HIV+ patients who started combined antiretroviral therapy and had undetectable viral load for more than 1 year. Twenty-five maintained a CD4/CD8 ratio less than 0.4, whereas 29 reached a ratio more than 1.1; 32 age-matched and sex-matched patients were healthy controls (CTR).
  
  
  
  Patients with low ratio had lower percentage of CD4 iNKT cells compared with patients with high ratio and higher CD8 iNKT cell percentage; double-negative iNKT cells were lower in HIV+ patients compared with CTR. Patients with low ratio had higher percentage of CD4 and double-negative iNKT cells expressing CD38 and HLA-DR compared with patients with high ratio. CD4 iNKT cells expressing PD-1 were higher in patients with CD4/CD8 ratio less than 0.4, whereas double-negative iNKT cells expressing PD-1 were lower compared with patients with ratio more than 1.1. Patients with low ratio had higher CD4 iNKT cells producing IL-17, CD8 iNKT cells producing IFN-γ, TNF-α or IFN-γ and TNF-α, and double-negative iNKT cells producing IL-17 or IL-17 and IFN-γ compared with CTR. Activated CD4 (or CD8) T cells correlated with activated CD4 (or CD8) iNKT cells, as well as the percentages of CD4 (or CD8) T cells expressing PD-1 was correlated to that of CD4 (or CD8) iNKT cells expressing PD-1.
  
  
  
  Low CD4/CD8 ratio despite effective combined antiretroviral therapy is associated with altered iNKT cell subsets, enhanced activation, and prominent Th1/Th17 proinflammatory profile.
authors: aDepartment of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences bDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia cInfectious Diseases Clinics, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Modena dDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences of Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. *Sara De Biasi and Elena Bianchini contributed equally to the article.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: De Biasi
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Bianchini
authors: Milena
authors: M
authors: Nasi
authors: Margherita
authors: M
authors: Digaetano
authors: Lara
authors: L
authors: Gibellini
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Carnevale
authors: Vanni
authors: V
authors: Borghi
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Guaraldi
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Pinti
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Mussini
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Cossarizza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents