title: MicroRNA-155 is a biomarker of T-cell activation and immune dysfunction in HIV-1-infected patients.
abstract: MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) regulates T-cell differentiation and activation. It has also been associated with HIV infection. However, it remains unclear whether miR-155 is related to the T-cell response in HIV-infected individuals (e.g. T-cell activation and exhaustion).
  
  
  
  We performed a cross-sectional study involving 121 HIV-1-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and 43 HAART-naïve patients. MiR-155 levels in the peripheral blood were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). T-cell immune activation, exhaustion, and homeostasis were measured by determining the expression of CD38, programmed death 1 (PD-1) and CD127 via flow cytometry.
  
  
  
  The levels of miR-155 in total peripheral blood mononuclear cells, CD4 T cells and CD8 T cells from HIV-1-infected patients were increased (P < 0.01). Nonresponders and HAART-naïve patients also exhibited a higher percentage of CD8+CD38+T cells and a lower percentage of CD4+CD127+and CD8+CD127+T cells (P < 0.05). We also found higher levels of PD-1 expression on the CD4+and CD8+T cells of HIV-1-infected patients (P < 0.05).
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that miR-155 levels in the peripheral blood of HIV-1-infected patients are increased and associated with T-cell activation. Therefore, miR-155 is a potential biomarker of the immune response following HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center for Sexual Health and Medicine, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Höxtermann
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center for Sexual Health and Medicine, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.|Competence Network for HIV/AIDS, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skaletz-Rorowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center for Sexual Health and Medicine, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.|Competence Network for HIV/AIDS, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Brockmeyer
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D000098908:Brachyury Protein
chemical_list: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit; D035683:MicroRNAs; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098908:Brachyury Protein; C524942:MIRN155 microRNA, human; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human
keywords: 
  HIV
  ; highly active antiretroviral therapy; immune activation; immune exhaustion; microRNA-155