HLA-G+ HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells are associated with HIV-1 immune control.
To assess the frequency and function of HIV-1-specific HLA-G (histocompatibility antigen class I, G) CD8 T cells in HIV-1 controllers and progressors.



We performed an observational cross-sectional cohort analysis in untreated (n = 47) and treated (n = 17) HIV-1 patients with different rates of disease progression and n = 14 healthy individuals.



We evaluated the frequency, the proportion and the function of total and virus-specific HLA-G CD8 T cells by tetramer or intracellular cytokine staining, followed by flow cytometric analysis. Cytokine secretion of sorted CD8 T-cell subsets was evaluated by Luminex assays.



The proportion and the absolute frequency of HLA-G HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells were directly associated with CD4 T-cell counts and inversely correlated with viral loads, whereas total or HLA-G-negative HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells were not. In functional assays, HLA-G CD8 T cells from HIV-1-negative individuals had higher abilities to produce the antiviral (C-C chemokine receptor type 5) ligands MIP-1β (macrophage inflammatory protein-1ß), MIP-1α and Rantes.



HLA-G HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells may represent a previously unrecognized correlate of HIV-1 immune control.
aRagon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard bInfectious Disease Division, Massachusetts General Hospital cInfectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Selena
S
Viganò
Jordi J
JJ
Negrón
Samantha
S
Tse
Fatema Z
FZ
Chowdhury
Mathias
M
Lichterfeld
Xu G
XG
Yu
D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*
D016207:Cytokines; D059951:HLA-G Antigens