High CD8+ T Cell Activation Marks a Less Differentiated HIV-1 Specific CD8+ T Cell Response that Is Not Altered by Suppression of Viral Replication

2009

High CD8+ T Cell Activation and Its Impact on HIV-1 Specific Responses

Sample size: 13 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Jason D. Barbour, Lishomwa C. Ndhlovu, Qi Xuan Tan, Terence Ho, Lorrie Epling, Barry M. Bredt, Jay A. Levy, Frederick M. Hecht, Elizabeth Sinclair, Derya Unutmaz

Primary Institution: University of California San Francisco

Hypothesis

Anti-retroviral suppression of T cell activation levels would lead to alterations in the T cell differentiation of total and HIV-1 specific CD8+ T cell responses among recently HIV-1 infected adults.

Conclusion

A more differentiated, less activated HIV-1 specific CD8+ T cell response may be clinically protective, but anti-retroviral treatment did not alter the differentiation profile of these cells.

Supporting Evidence

Participants with higher late memory HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells had higher CD4+ T cell counts.
High total CD8+ T cell activation was associated with poorer long-term clinical outcomes.
The differentiation profile of HIV-1 specific T cells was not altered by anti-retroviral treatment.

Takeaway

This study looked at how T cells respond to HIV and found that having more mature T cells can help fight the virus better, but just taking medicine to lower the virus doesn't change how these T cells develop.

Methodology

A longitudinal study measuring T cell activation and maturation markers on total and antigen-specific T cells in recently infected adults before and after anti-retroviral therapy.