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de Armas LR, Dinh V, Iyer A, Pallikkuth S, Pahwa R, Cotugno N, Rinaldi S, Palma P, Vaz P, Lain MG, Pahwa S. Accelerated CD8 + T cell maturation in infants with perinatal HIV infection. iScience 2024; 27:109720. [PMID: 38706858 PMCID: PMC11068557 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In perinatal HIV infection, early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is recommended but questions remain regarding infant immune responses to HIV and its impact on immune development. Using single cell transcriptional and phenotypic analysis we evaluated the T cell compartment at pre-ART initiation of infants with perinatally acquired HIV from Maputo, Mozambique (Towards AIDS Remission Approaches cohort). CD8+ T cell maturation subsets exhibited altered distribution in HIV exposed infected (HEI) infants relative to HIV exposed uninfected infants with reduced naive, increased effectors, higher frequencies of activated T cells, and lower frequencies of cells with markers of self-renewal. Additionally, a cluster of CD8+ T cells identified in HEI displayed gene profiles consistent with cytotoxic T lymphocytes and showed evidence for hyper expansion. Longitudinal phenotypic analysis revealed accelerated maturation of CD8+ T cells was maintained in HEI despite viral control. The results point to an HIV-directed immune response that is likely to influence reservoir establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley R. de Armas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Vinh Dinh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Akshay Iyer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Suresh Pallikkuth
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Rajendra Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Paolo Palma
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Paula Vaz
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Marracuene, Maputo Province, Mozambique
| | | | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
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Ka'e AC, Santoro MM, Nanfack A, Ngoufack Jagni Semengue E, Yagai B, Nka AD, Ambada G, Mpouel ML, Sagnia B, Kenou L, Sanhanfo M, Togna Pabo WLR, Takou D, Chenwi CA, Sonela N, Sosso SM, Nkenfou C, Colizzi V, Halle-Ekane GE, Ndjolo A, Ceccherini-Silberstein F, Perno CF, Lewin S, Tiemessen CT, Fokam J. Characterization of HIV-1 Reservoirs in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Toward Pediatric HIV Cure. J Pediatr 2024; 267:113919. [PMID: 38237889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To conduct a comprehensive, systematic review of the profile of HIV-1 reservoirs in children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection. STUDY DESIGN Randomized and nonrandomized trials, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies on HIV reservoirs in pediatric populations, published between 2002 and 2022, were included. Archived-drug resistance mutations (ADRMs) and the size of reservoirs were evaluated. Subgroup analyses were performed to characterize further the data, and the meta-analysis was done through random effect models. RESULTS Overall, 49 studies from 17 countries worldwide were included, encompassing 2356 perinatally infected participants (48.83% females). There are limited data on the quantitative characterization of viral reservoirs in sub-Saharan Africa, with sensitive methodologies such as droplet digital polymerase chain reaction rarely employed. The overall prevalence of ADRMs was 37.80% (95% CI 13.89-65.17), with 48.79% (95% CI 0-100) in Africa, 42.08% (95% CI 6.68-82.71) in America, 23.88% (95% CI 14.34-34.90) in Asia, and 20.00% (95% CI 10.72-31.17) in Europe, without any difference between infants and adolescents (P = .656). Starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) before 2 months of age limited the levels of HIV-1 DNA (P = .054). Participants with long-suppressed viremia (>5 years) had lower levels of HIV-1 DNA (P = .027). Pre- and post-ART CD4 ≤29% and pre-ART viremia ≥5Log were all found associated with greater levels of HIV-1 DNA (P = .038, P = .047, and P = .041, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The pooled prevalence of ADRMs is high in perinatally infected pediatric population, with larger proviral reservoir size driven by delayed ART initiation, a shorter period of viral suppression, and immunovirological failures. Thus, strategies for pediatric HIV functional cure should target children and adolescents with very early ART initiation, immunocompetence, and long-term viral suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Christelle Ka'e
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; Department of Experimental Medicine, PhD Course in Microbiology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Transplants (MIMIT), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | | | - Aubin Nanfack
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; IAS Research Cure Academy, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ezechiel Ngoufack Jagni Semengue
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Bouba Yagai
- UniCamillus - Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Alex Durand Nka
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Georgia Ambada
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Marie-Laure Mpouel
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Bertrand Sagnia
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Leslie Kenou
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Michelle Sanhanfo
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Willy Le Roi Togna Pabo
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; Faculty of Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Desire Takou
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Collins Ambe Chenwi
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; Department of Experimental Medicine, PhD Course in Microbiology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Transplants (MIMIT), University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Nelson Sonela
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Samuel Martin Sosso
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Celine Nkenfou
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Vittorio Colizzi
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; Chair of UNESCO, Department of Biotechnology, Immunology and Molecular Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Gregory Edie Halle-Ekane
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Alexis Ndjolo
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon
| | | | - Carlo-Federico Perno
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Sharon Lewin
- Infectious Diseases, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Caroline T Tiemessen
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Joseph Fokam
- Departments of Virology and Immunology, Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB), Yaounde, Cameroon; IAS Research Cure Academy, Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
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Johnson SM, Teh JJ, Pasvol TJ, Ayres S, Lyall H, Fidler S, Foster C. Hospitalisation rates for youth living with perinatally acquired HIV in England. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295639. [PMID: 38502654 PMCID: PMC10950242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Complex challenges amongst ageing cohorts of adolescents and adults living with perinatally acquired HIV (PaHIV) may impact on hospitalisation. We report hospitalisation rates and explored predictive factors for hospitalisation in adolescents and adults (10-35 years) living with PaHIV in England. METHOD Retrospective observational cohort study over a three-year period 2016-2019. Data collected included cause and duration of hospitalisation, HIV viral load and CD4 lymphocyte count. The primary outcome was overnight hospitalisation. Patients exited at study end/ transfer of care (TOC)/ loss to follow up (LTFU) or death. Maternity/hospital admissions at other centres were excluded. Admission rates per 100 person-years (95% CI) were calculated by age group. Negative binomial regression with generalized estimating equations was performed. RESULTS 255 patients contributed 689 person-years of follow up. 56% were female and 83% were of a Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnicity. At baseline, the median age was 19 years (IQR 16-22). 36 individuals experienced a total of 62 admissions which resulted in 558 overnight stays (median stay was 5 nights). One person died (lymphoma), six had TOC and one was LTFU by the end of the three-year study period. Crude incidence of admission for the whole cohort was 9.0 per 100 PY (6.9-11.6). The respective crude incidence rates were 1.5 PY (0.0-8.2) in those aged 10-14 years and 3.5 PY (1.5-7.0) in the 15-19-year-olds. In those aged 20-24 years it was 14.5 PY (10.1-20.2) and in those >25 years the crude incidence rate was 11.7 PY (6.9-18.5). Factors significantly associated with admission were a CD4 lymphocyte count <200 cells/uL, adjusted IRR 4.0 (1.8-8.8) and a history of a CDC-C diagnosis, adjusted IRR 2.9 (1.6-5.3). 89% admissions were HIV-related: 45% new/current CDC-C diagnoses, 76% due to infection. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalisation rates were four-fold higher in adults (>20 years of age) compared to adolescents (10-19-year-olds). The continuing challenges experienced by PaHIV youth require enhanced multidisciplinary support throughout adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah May Johnson
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jhia Jiat Teh
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Joshua Pasvol
- Department of HIV Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Ayres
- Department of HIV Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hermione Lyall
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Fidler
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of HIV Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Foster
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of HIV Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Gärtner K, Domínguez-Rodríguez S, Heaney J, Gkouleli T, Grant P, Dorgham K, Sauce D, Soulie C, Busby EJ, O'Sullivan DM, Spyer M, Botha JC, Muñoz-Fernandez MA, Tagarro A, Cotugno N, Huggett JF, Klein N, Palma P, Rojo Conejo P, Foster C, Giaquinto C, Rossi P, Persaud D, De Rossi A, Marcelin AG, Nastouli E. Low unspliced cell-associated HIV RNA in early treated adolescents living with HIV on long suppressive ART. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1334236. [PMID: 38444847 PMCID: PMC10912947 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1334236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) in patients early after HIV-infection and long-term suppression leads to low or undetectable levels of HIV RNA and cell-associated (CA) HIV DNA and RNA. Both CA-DNA and CA-RNA, overestimate the size of the HIV reservoir but CA-RNA as well as p24/cell-free viral RNA can be indicators of residual viral replication. This study describes HIV RNA amounts and levels of cytokines/soluble markers in 40 well-suppressed adolescents who initiated ART early in life and investigated which viral markers may be informative as endpoints in cure clinical trials within this population. Methods Forty adolescents perinatally infected with HIV on suppressive ART for >5 years were enrolled in the CARMA study. HIV DNA and total or unspliced CA-RNA in PBMCs were analyzed by qPCR/RT-qPCR and dPCR/RT-dPCR. Cell-free HIV was determined using an ultrasensitive viral load (US-VL) assay. Plasma markers and p24 were analyzed by digital ELISA and correlations between total and unspliced HIV RNA and clinical markers, including age at ART, Western Blot score, levels of cytokines/inflammation markers or HIV CA-DNA, were tested. Results CA-RNA was detected in two thirds of the participants and was comparable in RT-qPCR and RT-dPCR. Adolescents with undetectable CA-RNA showed significantly lower HIV DNA compared to individuals with detectable CA-RNA. Undetectable unspliced CA-RNA was positively associated with age at ART initiation and Western Blot score. We found that a higher concentration of TNF-α was predictive of higher CA-DNA and CA-RNA. Other clinical characteristics like US-VL, time to suppression, or percent CD4+ T-lymphocytes were not predictive of the CA-RNA in this cross-sectional study. Conclusions Low CA-DNA after long-term suppressive ART is associated with lower CA-RNA, in concordance with other reports. Patients with low CA-RNA levels in combination with low CA-DNA and low Western Blot scores should be further investigated to characterize candidates for treatment interruption trials. Unspliced CA-RNA warrants further investigation as a marker that can be prioritized in paediatric clinical trials where the sample volume can be a significant limitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Gärtner
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Domínguez-Rodríguez
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica Hospital 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Judith Heaney
- Advanced Pathogen Diagnostic Unit, University College London Hospitals (UCLH), London, United Kingdom
| | - Triantafylia Gkouleli
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Haematology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Grant
- Advanced Pathogen Diagnostic Unit, University College London Hospitals (UCLH), London, United Kingdom
| | - Karim Dorgham
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Delphine Sauce
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Cathia Soulie
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Inserm, AP HP, Hôpitaux Universtaires Pitié Salpêtrière - Charles Foix, Laboratoire de Virologie, Paris, France
| | - Eloise J Busby
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC Group, Teddington, United Kingdom
| | - Denise M O'Sullivan
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC Group, Teddington, United Kingdom
- Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di RicerCa a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Moira Spyer
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes C Botha
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Advanced Pathogen Diagnostic Unit, University College London Hospitals (UCLH), London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alfredo Tagarro
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica Hospital 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica e Innovación Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía y Hospital del Henares (FIIB HUIS HHEN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di RicerCa a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Academic Department of Pediatrics, Research Unit in Congenital and Perinatal Infections, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Jim F Huggett
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC Group, Teddington, United Kingdom
- School of Biosciences & Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel Klein
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paolo Palma
- Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di RicerCa a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Pablo Rojo Conejo
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica Hospital 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Caroline Foster
- Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carlo Giaquinto
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Academic Department of Pediatrics, Research Unit in Congenital and Perinatal Infections, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Deborah Persaud
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Anita De Rossi
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology (DiSCOG), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Anne-Geneviève Marcelin
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Inserm, AP HP, Hôpitaux Universtaires Pitié Salpêtrière - Charles Foix, Laboratoire de Virologie, Paris, France
| | - Eleni Nastouli
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Advanced Pathogen Diagnostic Unit, University College London Hospitals (UCLH), London, United Kingdom
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Fonseca JA, King AC, Chahroudi A. More than the Infinite Monkey Theorem: NHP Models in the Development of a Pediatric HIV Cure. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2024; 21:11-29. [PMID: 38227162 PMCID: PMC10859349 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-023-00686-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW An HIV cure that eliminates the viral reservoir or provides viral control without antiretroviral therapy (ART) is an urgent need in children as they face unique challenges, including lifelong ART adherence and the deleterious effects of chronic immune activation. This review highlights the importance of nonhuman primate (NHP) models in developing an HIV cure for children as these models recapitulate the viral pathogenesis and persistence. RECENT FINDINGS Several cure approaches have been explored in infant NHPs, although knowledge gaps remain. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) show promise for controlling viremia and delaying viral rebound after ART interruption but face administration challenges. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors hold the potential for sustained bNAb expression. Therapeutic vaccination induces immune responses against simian retroviruses but has yet to impact the viral reservoir. Combining immunotherapies with latency reversal agents (LRAs) that enhance viral antigen expression should be explored. Current and future cure approaches will require adaptation for the pediatric immune system and unique features of virus persistence, for which NHP models are fundamental to assess their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jairo A Fonseca
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexis C King
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ann Chahroudi
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Emory+Children's Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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6
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Nguyen AN, Plotkin AL, Odumade OA, De Armas L, Pahwa S, Morrocchi E, Cotugno N, Rossi P, Foster C, Domínguez-Rodríguez S, Tagarro A, Syphurs C, Diray-Arce J, Fatou B, Ozonoff A, Levy O, Palma P, Smolen KK. Effective early antiretroviral therapy in perinatal-HIV infection reduces subsequent plasma inflammatory profile. Pediatr Res 2023; 94:1667-1674. [PMID: 37308683 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02669-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The long-term immunologic effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) have not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated how the timing of ART initiation affects the long-term immune profile of children living with PHIV by measuring immunomodulatory plasma cytokines, chemokines, and adenosine deaminases (ADAs). METHODS 40 PHIV participants initiated ART during infancy. 39 participant samples were available; 30 initiated ART ≤6 months (early-ART treatment); 9 initiated ART >6 months and <2 years (late-ART treatment). We compared plasma cytokine and chemokine concentrations and ADA enzymatic activities between early-ART and late-ART treatment 12.5 years later and measured correlation with clinical covariates. RESULTS Plasma concentrations of 10 cytokines and chemokines (IFNγ, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-IRA, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-9 as well as CCL7, CXCL10), ADA1, and ADA total were significantly higher in late-ART compared to early-ART treatment. Furthermore, ADA1 was significantly positively correlated with IFNγ, IL-17A, and IL-12p70. Meanwhile, total ADA was positively correlated with IFNγ, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-1RA, IL-6, and IL-12p70 as well as CCL7. CONCLUSIONS Elevation of several pro-inflammatory plasma analytes in late-ART despite 12.5 years of virologic suppression compared to early-ART treatment suggests that early treatment dampens the long-term plasma inflammatory profile in PHIV participants. IMPACT This study examines differences in the plasma cytokine, chemokine, and ADA profiles 12.5 years after treatment between early (≤6months) and late (>6 months and <2 years) antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment initiation in a cohort of European and UK study participants living with PHIV. Several cytokines and chemokines (e.g., IFNγ, IL-12p70, IL-6, and CXCL10) as well as ADA-1 are elevated in late-ART treatment in comparison to early-ART treatment. Our results suggest that effective ART treatment initiated within 6 months of life in PHIV participants dampens a long-term inflammatory plasma profile as compared to late-ART treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena N Nguyen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alec L Plotkin
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Oludare A Odumade
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Medicine Critical Care, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lesley De Armas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Elena Morrocchi
- Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Caroline Foster
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Sara Domínguez-Rodríguez
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica Hospital 12 de Octubre. Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo Tagarro
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica Hospital 12 de Octubre. Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía. Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica e Innovación del Hospital Infanta Sofía y del Henares (FIIB HUIS HHEN). Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Caitlin Syphurs
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joann Diray-Arce
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benoit Fatou
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Al Ozonoff
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ofer Levy
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Paolo Palma
- Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
| | - Kinga K Smolen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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7
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Mageda K, Kulemba K, Olomi W, Kapologwe N, Katalambula L, Petrucka P. Determinants of nonsuppression of HIV viral load among children receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Simiyu region: a cross-sectional study. AIDS Res Ther 2023; 20:22. [PMID: 37055786 PMCID: PMC10099818 DOI: 10.1186/s12981-023-00515-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite substantial antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Tanzania, viral load suppression (VLS) among HIV-positive children receiving ART remains intolerably low. This study was conducted to determine factors affecting the nonsuppression of VL in children with HIV receiving ART in the Simiyu region; thus, an effective, sustainable intervention to address VL nonsuppression can be developed in the future. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study including children with HIV aged 2-14 years who were currently presenting to care and treatment clinics in the Simiyu region. We collected data from the children/caregivers and care and treatment center databases. We used Stata™ to perform data analysis. We used statistics, including means, standard deviations, medians, interquartile ranges (IQRs), frequencies, and percentages, to describe the data. We performed forward stepwise logistic regression, where the significance level for removal was 0.10 and that for entry was 0.05. The median age of the patients at ART initiation was 2.0 years (IQR, 1.0-5.0 years), and the mean age at HIV VL (HVL) nonsuppression was 8.8 ± 2.99 years. Of the 253 patients, 56% were female, and the mean ART duration was 64 ± 33.07 months. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors of HVL nonsuppression were older age at ART initiation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.012-1.443) and poor medication adherence (AOR, 0.06; 95% CI 0.004-0.867). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that older age at ART initiation and poor medication adherence play significant roles in HVL nonsuppression. HIV/AIDS programs should have intensive interventions targeting early identification, ART initiation, and adherence intensification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihulya Mageda
- School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Dodoma, PO Box 395, Dodoma, Tanzania.
- President's Office-Regional Administration and Local Government, PO Box 1923, Dodoma, Tanzania.
| | - Khamis Kulemba
- Department of Health, Simiyu Regional Commissioners' Office, Bariadi, Tanzania
| | | | - Ntuli Kapologwe
- School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Dodoma, PO Box 395, Dodoma, Tanzania
- President's Office-Regional Administration and Local Government, PO Box 1923, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Leornad Katalambula
- School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Dodoma, PO Box 395, Dodoma, Tanzania
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8
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Khetan P, Liu Y, Dhummakupt A, Persaud D. Advances in Pediatric HIV-1 Cure Therapies and Reservoir Assays. Viruses 2022; 14:v14122608. [PMID: 36560612 PMCID: PMC9787749 DOI: 10.3390/v14122608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Significant advances in the field of HIV-1 therapeutics to achieve antiretroviral treatment (ART)-free remission and cure for persons living with HIV-1 are being made with the advent of broadly neutralizing antibodies and very early ART in perinatal infection. The need for HIV-1 remission and cure arises due to the inability of ART to eradicate the major reservoir for HIV-1 in resting memory CD4+ T cells (the latent reservoir), and the strict adherence to lifelong treatment. To measure the efficacy of these cure interventions on reservoir size and to dissect reservoir dynamics, assays that are sensitive and specific to intact proviruses are critical. In this review, we provided a broad overview of some of the key interventions underway to purge the reservoir in adults living with HIV-1 and ones under study in pediatric populations to reduce and control the latent reservoir, primarily focusing on very early treatment in combination with broadly neutralizing antibodies. We also summarized assays currently in use to measure HIV-1 reservoirs and their feasibility and considerations for studies in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Khetan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yufeng Liu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Adit Dhummakupt
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Deborah Persaud
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-443-287-3735
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9
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Sustained Virologic Suppression Reduces HIV-1 DNA Proviral Levels and HIV Antibodies in Perinatally HIV-Infected Children Followed from Birth. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112350. [PMID: 36366448 PMCID: PMC9693172 DOI: 10.3390/v14112350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The extent to which perinatally HIV-infected children, following cART initiation, develop a low proviral reservoir burden over time, as measured by HIV DNA droplet-digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and the effect on HIV antibody is not well characterized. We measured proviral HIV DNA and plasma RNA virus load (VL) in 37 perinatally HIV-infected children at 6 months of age who initiated stable cART. At 6-11 years of age, HIV proviral DNA, HIV VL (RNA), and HIV antibody by Western Blot (WB) were assessed. CART was initiated before 6 months of age in 13 children and after 6 months in 24. At school age, the HIV DNA levels did not differ by the timing of cART, and the HIV DNA levels were lower in children with negative/indeterminate WB (p = 0.0256). Children with undetectable HIV RNA VL > 50% of the time since cART initiation had lower median DNA VL than children with undetectable VL < 50% of the time (p = 0.07). Long-term viral suppression in perinatally HIV-infected children is associated with a decrease in HIV antibodies and reduced HIV reservoirs.
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10
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Wang X, Vincent E, Siddiqui S, Turnbull K, Lu H, Blair R, Wu X, Watkins M, Ziani W, Shao J, Doyle-Meyers LA, Russell-Lodrigue KE, Bohm RP, Veazey RS, Xu H. Early treatment regimens achieve sustained virologic remission in infant macaques infected with SIV at birth. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4823. [PMID: 35973985 PMCID: PMC9381774 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32554-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Early antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected infants generally fails to achieve a sustained state of ART-free virologic remission, even after years of treatment. Our studies show that viral reservoir seeding is different in neonatal macaques intravenously exposed to SIV at birth, in contrast to adults. Furthermore, one month of ART including an integrase inhibitor, initiated at day 3, but not day 4 or 5 post infection, efficiently and rapidly suppresses viremia to undetectable levels. Intervention initiated at day 3 post infection and continued for 9 months achieves a sustained virologic remission in 4 of 5 infants. Collectively, an early intervention strategy within a key timeframe and regimen may result in viral remission or successful post-exposure prophylaxis for neonatal SIV infection, which may be clinically relevant for optimizing treatment strategies for HIV-infected or exposed infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Wang
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Eunice Vincent
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Summer Siddiqui
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Katherine Turnbull
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Hong Lu
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Robert Blair
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Xueling Wu
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Meagan Watkins
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Widade Ziani
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Jiasheng Shao
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Lara A Doyle-Meyers
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Kasi E Russell-Lodrigue
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Rudolf P Bohm
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Ronald S Veazey
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA
| | - Huanbin Xu
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA, 70433, USA.
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11
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Berendam SJ, Nelson AN, Yagnik B, Goswami R, Styles TM, Neja MA, Phan CT, Dankwa S, Byrd AU, Garrido C, Amara RR, Chahroudi A, Permar SR, Fouda GG. Challenges and Opportunities of Therapies Targeting Early Life Immunity for Pediatric HIV Cure. Front Immunol 2022; 13:885272. [PMID: 35911681 PMCID: PMC9325996 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.885272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) significantly improves clinical outcomes and reduces mortality of infants/children living with HIV. However, the ability of infected cells to establish latent viral reservoirs shortly after infection and to persist during long-term ART remains a major barrier to cure. In addition, while early ART treatment of infants living with HIV can limit the size of the virus reservoir, it can also blunt HIV-specific immune responses and does not mediate clearance of latently infected viral reservoirs. Thus, adjunctive immune-based therapies that are geared towards limiting the establishment of the virus reservoir and/or mediating the clearance of persistent reservoirs are of interest for their potential to achieve viral remission in the setting of pediatric HIV. Because of the differences between the early life and adult immune systems, these interventions may need to be tailored to the pediatric settings. Understanding the attributes and specificities of the early life immune milieu that are likely to impact the virus reservoir is important to guide the development of pediatric-specific immune-based interventions towards viral remission and cure. In this review, we compare the immune profiles of pediatric and adult HIV elite controllers, discuss the characteristics of cellular and anatomic HIV reservoirs in pediatric populations, and highlight the potential values of current cure strategies using immune-based therapies for long-term viral remission in the absence of ART in children living with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella J. Berendam
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Stella J. Berendam, ; Genevieve G. Fouda,
| | - Ashley N. Nelson
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Bhrugu Yagnik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ria Goswami
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tiffany M. Styles
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Margaret A. Neja
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Caroline T. Phan
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sedem Dankwa
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alliyah U. Byrd
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Carolina Garrido
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Rama R. Amara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ann Chahroudi
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States,Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sallie R. Permar
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Genevieve G. Fouda
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Stella J. Berendam, ; Genevieve G. Fouda,
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12
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Taramasso L, Bozzano F, Casabianca A, Orlandi C, Bovis F, Mora S, Giacomini M, Moretta L, Magnani M, Di Biagio A, De Maria A. Persistence of Unintegrated HIV DNA Associates With Ongoing NK Cell Activation and CD34+DNAM-1brightCXCR4+ Precursor Turnover in Vertically Infected Patients Despite Successful Antiretroviral Treatment. Front Immunol 2022; 13:847816. [PMID: 35558085 PMCID: PMC9088003 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.847816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The quantification of proviral DNA is raising interest in view of clinical management and functional HIV eradication. Measures of all unintegrated HIV DNA (uDNA) forms in infected reservoir cells provides information on recent replication events that is not found from other proviral DNA assays. To evaluate its actual relevance in a cohort of perinatally-infected adult HIV patients (PHIV), we studied how peripheral blood mononuclear cell uDNA levels correlated with total HIV DNA (tDNA) and with overall replication or innate immune control parameters including NK cell activation/exhaustion and lymphoid turnover. Twenty-two PHIV were included, with successfully controlled HIV (HIV RNA <50 copies/mL) on combined antiretroviral therapy for mean of 8.7 ± 3.9 years. uDNA accounted for 16 [5.2-83.5] copies/µg and was strongly correlated with tDNA (ρ=0.700, p=0.001). Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral NK cells showed that CD69 expression was directly correlated uDNA (p=0.0412), but not with tDNA. Interestingly, CD56-CD16+NK cells which include newly described inflammatory precursors and terminally differentiated cells were directly correlated with uDNA levels (p<0.001), but not with tDNA, and an inverse association was observed between the proportion of NKG2D+ NK cells and uDNA (ρ=-0.548, p=0.015). In addition, CD34+DNAM-1brightCXCR4+ inflammatory precursor frequency correlated directly with uDNA levels (ρ=0.579, p=0.0075). The frequencies of CD56-CD16+ and CD34+DNAM-1brightCXCR4+ cells maintained association with uDNA levels in a multivariable analysis (p=0.045 and p=0.168, respectively). Thus, control of HIV-1 reservoir in aviremic patients on ART is an active process associated with continuous NK cell intervention and turnover, even after many years of treatment. Quantification of linear and circular uDNA provides relevant information on the requirement for ongoing innate immune control in addition to ART, on recent replication history and may help stratify patients for functional HIV eradication protocols with targeted options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Taramasso
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Bozzano
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Anna Casabianca
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Chiara Orlandi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Francesca Bovis
- Biostatistics Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sara Mora
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mauro Giacomini
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and System Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Magnani
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Biagio
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea De Maria
- Infectious Diseases Clinic, IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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13
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Tarancon-Diez L, Consuegra I, Vazquez-Alejo E, Ramos-Ruiz R, Ramos JT, Navarro ML, Muñoz-Fernández MÁ. miRNA Profile Based on ART Delay in Vertically Infected HIV-1 Youths Is Associated With Inflammatory Biomarkers and Activation and Maturation Immune Levels. Front Immunol 2022; 13:878630. [PMID: 35529880 PMCID: PMC9074828 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.878630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Early antiretroviral treatment (ART) in vertically acquired HIV-1-infection is associated with a rapid viral suppression, small HIV-1 reservoir, reduced morbimortality and preserved immune functions. We investigated the miRNA profile from vertically acquired HIV-1-infected young adults based on ART initiation delay and its association with the immune system activation. Using a microRNA panel and multiparametric flow cytometry, miRNome profile obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and its association with adaptive and innate immune components were studied on vertically HIV-1-infected young adults who started ART early (EARLY, 0-53 weeks after birth) and later (LATE, 120-300 weeks). miR-1248 and miR-155-5p, were significantly upregulated in EARLY group compared with LATE group, while miR-501-3p, miR-548d-5p, miR-18a-3p and miR-296-5p were significantly downregulated in EARLY treated group of patients. Strong correlations were obtained between miRNAs levels and soluble biochemical biomarkers and immunological parameters including CD4 T-cell count and maturation by CD69 expression on CD4 T-cells and activation by HLA-DR on CD16high NK cell subsets for miR-1248 and miR-155-5p. In this preliminary study, a distinct miRNA signature discriminates early treated HIV-1-infected young adults. The role of those miRNAs target genes in the modulation of HIV-1 replication and latency may reveal new host signaling pathways that could be manipulated in antiviral strategies. Correlations between miRNAs levels and inflammatory and immunological markers highlight those miRNAs as potential biomarkers for immune inflammation and activation in HIV-1-infected young adults who initiated a late ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tarancon-Diez
- Immunology Section, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular (LIBM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Area of Immune System Pathology, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Consuegra
- Immunology Section, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular (LIBM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Area of Immune System Pathology, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Vazquez-Alejo
- Immunology Section, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular (LIBM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Area of Immune System Pathology, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - José Tomás Ramos
- Department of Paediatrics, Clínico San Carlos University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Luisa Navarro
- Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Universidad Complutense de Madrid and CIBERINFEC, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mª Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández
- Immunology Section, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular (LIBM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Area of Immune System Pathology, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Mª Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández,
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14
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Ruggiero A, Pascucci GR, Cotugno N, Domínguez-Rodríguez S, Rinaldi S, Tagarro A, Rojo P, Foster C, Bamford A, De Rossi A, Nastouli E, Klein N, Morrocchi E, Fatou B, Smolen KK, Ozonoff A, Di Pastena M, Luzuriaga K, Steen H, Giaquinto C, Goulder P, Rossi P, Levy O, Pahwa S, Palma P. Determinants of B-Cell Compartment Hyperactivation in European Adolescents Living With Perinatally Acquired HIV-1 After Over 10 Years of Suppressive Therapy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:860418. [PMID: 35432380 PMCID: PMC9009387 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.860418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite a successful antiretroviral therapy (ART), adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) experience signs of B-cell hyperactivation with expansion of 'namely' atypical B-cell phenotypes, including double negative (CD27-IgD-) and termed age associated (ABCs) B-cells (T-bet+CD11c+), which may result in reduced cell functionality, including loss of vaccine-induced immunological memory and higher risk of developing B-cells associated tumors. In this context, perinatally HIV infected children (PHIV) deserve particular attention, given their life-long exposure to chronic immune activation. Methods We studied 40 PHIV who started treatment by the 2nd year of life and maintained virological suppression for 13.5 years, with 5/40 patients experiencing transient elevation of the HIV-1 load in the plasma (Spike). We applied a multi-disciplinary approach including immunological B and T cell phenotype, plasma proteomics analysis, and serum level of anti-measles antibodies as functional correlates of vaccine-induced immunity. Results Phenotypic signs of B cell hyperactivation were elevated in subjects starting ART later (%DN T-bet+CD11c+ p=0.03; %AM T-bet+CD11c+ p=0.02) and were associated with detectable cell-associated HIV-1 RNA (%AM T-bet+CD11c+ p=0.0003) and transient elevation of the plasma viral load (spike). Furthermore, B-cell hyperactivation appeared to be present in individuals with higher frequency of exhausted T-cells, in particular: %CD4 TIGIT+ were associated with %DN (p=0.008), %DN T-bet+CD11c+ (p=0.0002) and %AM T-bet+CD11c+ (p=0.002) and %CD4 PD-1 were associated with %DN (p=0.048), %DN T-bet+CD11c+ (p=0.039) and %AM T-bet+CD11c+ (p=0.006). The proteomic analysis revealed that subjects with expansion of these atypical B-cells and exhausted T-cells had enrichment of proteins involved in immune inflammation and complement activation pathways. Furthermore, we observed that higher levels of ABCs were associated a reduced capacity to maintain vaccine-induced antibody immunity against measles (%B-cells CD19+CD10- T-bet+, p=0.035). Conclusion We identified that the levels of hyperactivated B cell subsets were strongly affected by time of ART start and associated with clinical, viral, cellular and plasma soluble markers. Furthermore, the expansion of ABCs also had a direct impact on the capacity to develop antibodies response following routine vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Ruggiero
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Rubens Pascucci
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome ‘‘Tor Vergata’’, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome ‘‘Tor Vergata’’, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Domínguez-Rodríguez
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (IMAS12), Madrid, Spain
- Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital 12 de Octubre, RITIP (Traslational Research Network in Pediatric Infectious Diseases), Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefano Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Alfredo Tagarro
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (IMAS12), Madrid, Spain
- Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital 12 de Octubre, RITIP (Traslational Research Network in Pediatric Infectious Diseases), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Infanta Sofía University Hospital. Infanta Sofia University Hospital and Henares University Hospital Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation (FIIB HUIS HHEN), San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Rojo
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (IMAS12), Madrid, Spain
- Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital 12 de Octubre, RITIP (Traslational Research Network in Pediatric Infectious Diseases), Madrid, Spain
| | - Caroline Foster
- Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alasdair Bamford
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, London, United Kingdom
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anita De Rossi
- Department of Oncology, Surgery and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV)- IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Eleni Nastouli
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel Klein
- Infection, Immunity & Inflammation Department, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Morrocchi
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Benoit Fatou
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kinga K. Smolen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Al Ozonoff
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michela Di Pastena
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- UOSD Unit of Clinical Psychology – Dept. of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Katherine Luzuriaga
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Umass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Hanno Steen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Carlo Giaquinto
- Department of Mother and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Philip Goulder
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome ‘‘Tor Vergata’’, Rome, Italy
| | - Ofer Levy
- Precision Vaccines Program, Boston Children Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Paolo Palma
- Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Chair of Pediatrics Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome ‘‘Tor Vergata’’, Rome, Italy
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15
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Domínguez-Rodríguez S, Tagarro A, Foster C, Palma P, Cotugno N, Zicari S, Ruggiero A, de Rossi A, Dalzini A, Pahwa S, Rinaldi S, Nastouli E, Marcelin AG, Dorgham K, Sauce D, Gartner K, Rossi P, Giaquinto C, Rojo P. Clinical, Virological and Immunological Subphenotypes in a Cohort of Early Treated HIV-Infected Children. Front Immunol 2022; 13:875692. [PMID: 35592310 PMCID: PMC9111748 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.875692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Identifying subphenotypes within heterogeneous diseases may have an impact in terms of therapeutic options. In this study, we aim to assess different subphenotypes in children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), according to the clinical, virological, and immunological characteristics. Methods We collected clinical and sociodemographic data, baseline viral load (VL), CD4 and CD8 count and percentage, age at initiation of ART, HIV DNA reservoir size in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), cell-associated RNA (CA-RNA), ultrasensitive VL, CD4 subsets (T effector CD25+, activated memory cells, Treg cells), humoral-specific HIV response (T-bet B cells), innate response (CD56dim natural killer (NK) cells, NKp46+, perforin), exhaustion markers (PD-1, PD-L1, DNAM), CD8 senescence, and biomarkers for T-lymphocyte thymic output (TREC) and endothelial activation (VCAM). The most informative variables were selected using an unsupervised lasso-type penalty selection for sparse clustering. Hierarchical clustering was performed using Pearson correlation as the distance metric and WARD.D2 as the clustering method. Internal validation was applied to select the best number of clusters. To compare the characteristics among clusters, boxplot and Kruskal Wallis test were assessed. Results Three subphenotypes were discovered (cluster1: n=18, 45%; cluster2: n=11, 27.5%; cluster3: n=11, 27.5%). Patients in cluster1 were treated earlier, had higher baseline %CD4, low HIV reservoir size, low western blot score, higher TREC values, and lower VCAM values than the patients in the other clusters. In contrast, cluster3 was the less favorable. Patients were treated later and presented poorer outcomes with lower %CD4, and higher reservoir size, along with a higher percentage of CD8 immunosenescent cells, lower TREC, higher VCAM cytokine, and a higher %CD4 PD-1. Cluster2 was intermediate. Patients were like those of cluster1, but had lower levels of t-bet expression and higher HIV DNA reservoir size. Conclusions Three HIV pediatric subphenotypes with different virological and immunological features were identified. The most favorable cluster was characterized by a higher rate of immune reconstitution and a slower disease progression, and the less favorable with more senescence and high reservoir size. In the near future therapeutic interventions for a path of a cure might be guided or supported by the different subphenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Domínguez-Rodríguez
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo Tagarro
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Pediatrics, Fundación para la Investigación e Innovación Biomédica del Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía y Hospital Universitario del Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Caroline Foster
- Department of Pediatrics, Imperial College Healthcare National Health Service (NHS) Trust., London, United Kingdom
| | - Paolo Palma
- Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Sonia Zicari
- Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ruggiero
- Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Rome, Italy
| | - Anita de Rossi
- Multivisceral Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, Section of Oncology and Immunology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Annalisa Dalzini
- Multivisceral Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, Section of Oncology and Immunology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Stefano Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Eleni Nastouli
- Infection, Immunity & Inflammation Department, University College of London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS), London, United Kingdom
| | - Anne-Geneviève Marcelin
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, AP-HP, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Cimi-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Karim Dorgham
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Cimi-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Sauce
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Cimi-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Kathleen Gartner
- Infection, Immunity & Inflammation Department, University College of London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS), London, United Kingdom
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Clinical and Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Rome, Italy.,Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Giaquinto
- Multivisceral Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, Section of Oncology and Immunology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Pablo Rojo
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Dalzini A, Ballin G, Dominguez-Rodriguez S, Rojo P, Petrara MR, Foster C, Cotugno N, Ruggiero A, Nastouli E, Klein N, Rinaldi S, Pahwa S, Rossi P, Giaquinto C, Palma P, De Rossi A. Size of HIV-1 reservoir is associated with telomere shortening and immunosenescence in early-treated European children with perinatally acquired HIV-1. J Int AIDS Soc 2021; 24:e25847. [PMID: 34797948 PMCID: PMC8604380 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Persistence of HIV‐1, causing chronic immune activation, is a key determinant of premature senescence. Early antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been associated with a reduced HIV‐1 reservoir in children with perinatally acquired HIV‐1 (PHIV), but its impact on the senescence process is an open question. We investigated the association between HIV‐1 reservoir and biological and immune ageing profile in PHIV enrolled in the multicentre cross‐sectional study CARMA (Child and Adolescent Reservoir Measurements on early suppressive ART) conducted within the EPIICAL (Early treated Perinatally HIV Infected individuals: Improving Children's Actual Life) consortium. Methods Between September 2017 and June 2018, CARMA enrolled 40 PHIV who started ART before 2 years of age and had undetectable viremia for at least 5 years before sampling date. Samples from 37 children with a median age of 13.8 years were available for this study. HIV‐1 DNA copies on CD4 cells, relative telomere length (marker of cellular senescence) and levels of T‐cell receptor rearrangement excision circle (TREC, marker of thymic output) on CD4 and CD8 cells were quantified by qPCR. Immunological profile was assessed by flow cytometry. Associations between molecular and phenotypic markers, HIV‐1 reservoir and age at ART initiation were explored using a multivariable Poisson regression. Results Higher HIV‐1 reservoir was associated (p<0.001) with telomere shortening (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.15 [0.13–0.17]), immunosenescence (CD28–CD57+, IRR = 1.23 [1.21–1.26]) and immunoactivation (CD38+ HLADR+, IRR = 7.29 [6.58–8.09]) of CD4 cells. Late ART initiation (after 6 months of age) correlated with higher HIV‐1 reservoir levels (552 [303–1001] vs. 89 [56–365] copies/106 CD4 cells, p = 0.003) and percentage of CD4 senescent cells (2.89 [1.95–6.31] vs. 1.02 [0.45–2.69, p = 0.047). TREC levels in CD8 cells were inversely associated with HIV‐1 reservoir (IRR = 0.77 [0.76–0.79]) and were significantly lower in late treated PHIV (1128 [486–1671] vs. 2278 [1425–3314], p = 0.042). Conclusions Later ART initiation is associated with higher HIV‐1 reservoir size, which correlates with increased telomere shortening and senescence of CD4 cells. Timing of ART initiation in infancy has long‐term consequences on the immune and biological ageing profile of children with perinatally acquired HIV‐1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Dalzini
- Section of Oncology and Immunology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ballin
- Section of Oncology and Immunology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Pablo Rojo
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Raffaella Petrara
- Section of Oncology and Immunology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Cotugno
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ruggiero
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleni Nastouli
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Nigel Klein
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Stefano Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Giaquinto
- Department of Mother and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Palma
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Anita De Rossi
- Section of Oncology and Immunology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV - IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | -
- Section of Oncology and Immunology, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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17
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Amin O, Powers J, Bricker KM, Chahroudi A. Understanding Viral and Immune Interplay During Vertical Transmission of HIV: Implications for Cure. Front Immunol 2021; 12:757400. [PMID: 34745130 PMCID: PMC8566974 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.757400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the significant progress that has been made to eliminate vertical HIV infection, more than 150,000 children were infected with HIV in 2019, emphasizing the continued need for sustainable HIV treatment strategies and ideally a cure for children. Mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) remains the most important route of pediatric HIV acquisition and, in absence of prevention measures, transmission rates range from 15% to 45% via three distinct routes: in utero, intrapartum, and in the postnatal period through breastfeeding. The exact mechanisms and biological basis of these different routes of transmission are not yet fully understood. Some infants escape infection despite significant virus exposure, while others do not, suggesting possible maternal or fetal immune protective factors including the presence of HIV-specific antibodies. Here we summarize the unique aspects of HIV MTCT including the immunopathogenesis of the different routes of transmission, and how transmission in the antenatal or postnatal periods may affect early life immune responses and HIV persistence. A more refined understanding of the complex interaction between viral, maternal, and fetal/infant factors may enhance the pursuit of strategies to achieve an HIV cure for pediatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omayma Amin
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jenna Powers
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine M. Bricker
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ann Chahroudi
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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18
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Doria M, Zicari S, Cotugno N, Domínguez‐Rodríguez S, Ruggiero A, Pascucci GR, Tagarro A, Rojo Conejo P, Nastouli E, Gärtner K, Cameron M, Richardson B, Foster C, Williams SL, Rinaldi S, De Rossi A, Giaquinto C, Rossi P, Pahwa S, Palma P. Early ART initiation during infancy preserves natural killer cells in young European adolescents living with HIV (CARMA cohort). J Int AIDS Soc 2021; 24:e25717. [PMID: 34235857 PMCID: PMC8264399 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION HIV infection causes pathological changes in the natural killer (NK) cell compartment that can be only partially restored by antiretroviral therapy (ART). We investigated NK cells phenotype and function in children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) and long-term viral control (five years) due to effective ART in a multicentre cross-sectional European study (CARMA, EPIICAL consortium). The impact of age at ART start and viral reservoir was also evaluated. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 40 PHIV who started ART within two years of life (early treated patients (ET), ≤6 months; late treated patients (LT), > 6 months), with at least five years of HIV-1 suppression (<40 HIV copies/mL), were collected between November 2017 and August 2018. NK phenotype and function were analysed by flow cytometry and transcriptional profile of PBMCs by RNA-Seq. HIV-1 DNA was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Data were analysed by Spearman correlation plots and multivariable Poisson regression model (adjusted for baseline %CD4 and RNA HIV viral load and for age at ART start as an interaction term, either ET or LT) to explore the association between NK cell parameters and HIV reservoir modulated by age at ART start. RESULTS A significantly higher frequency of CD56neg NK cells was found in LT compared with ET. We further found in LT a positive correlation of CD56neg NK cells with HIV-1 DNA. LT also displayed increased expression of the NKG2D and NKp46 activating receptors and perforin compared with ET. Moreover, CD107a+ and IFN-γ+ frequencies in non-stimulated NK were associated with HIV-1 DNA in LT patients. Finally, RNA-Seq analysis showed in LT an up-regulation of genes related to NK-activating pathways and susceptibility to apoptosis compared with ET. CONCLUSIONS We show that early initiation of ART during infancy preserves the NK compartment and is associated with lower HIV-1 reservoir. Such condition persists over adolescence due to long-term viral control achieved through effective ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Doria
- Research Unit of Primary ImmunodeficiencyBambino Gesú Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Sonia Zicari
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and VaccinologyAcademic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO)Bambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and VaccinologyAcademic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO)Bambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Department of Systems MedicineChair of PediatricsUniversity of Rome "Tor Vergata"RomeItaly
| | - Sara Domínguez‐Rodríguez
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases UnitFundación para la Investigación Biomédica del HospitalMadridSpain
| | - Alessandra Ruggiero
- Research Unit of Primary ImmunodeficiencyBambino Gesú Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Giuseppe R Pascucci
- Research Unit of Primary ImmunodeficiencyBambino Gesú Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and VaccinologyAcademic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO)Bambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Department of Systems MedicineChair of PediatricsUniversity of Rome "Tor Vergata"RomeItaly
| | - Alfredo Tagarro
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases UnitFundación para la Investigación Biomédica del HospitalMadridSpain
| | - Pablo Rojo Conejo
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases UnitFundación para la Investigación Biomédica del HospitalMadridSpain
| | - Eleni Nastouli
- Department of VirologyUniversity College Hospital LondonUK
| | | | - Mark Cameron
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Brian Richardson
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | | | - Sion L Williams
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFLUSA
| | - Stefano Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFLUSA
| | - Anita De Rossi
- Section of Oncology and ImmunologyDepartment of Surgery, Oncology, and GastroenterologyUnit of Viral Oncology and AIDS Reference CenterUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
- Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV)‐IRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Carlo Giaquinto
- Department of Mother and Child HealthUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Research Unit of Primary ImmunodeficiencyBambino Gesú Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and VaccinologyAcademic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO)Bambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Department of Systems MedicineChair of PediatricsUniversity of Rome "Tor Vergata"RomeItaly
| | - Savita Pahwa
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFLUSA
| | - Paolo Palma
- Research Unit of Primary ImmunodeficiencyBambino Gesú Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and VaccinologyAcademic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO)Bambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Department of Systems MedicineChair of PediatricsUniversity of Rome "Tor Vergata"RomeItaly
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19
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T cell immune discriminants of HIV reservoir size in a pediatric cohort of perinatally infected individuals. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009533. [PMID: 33901266 PMCID: PMC8112655 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The size of the latent HIV reservoir is associated with the timing of therapeutic interventions and overall health of the immune system. Here, we demonstrate that T cell phenotypic signatures associate with viral reservoir size in a cohort of HIV vertically infected children and young adults under durable viral control, and who initiated anti-retroviral therapy (ART) <2 years old. Flow cytometry was used to measure expression of immune activation (IA), immune checkpoint (ICP) markers, and intracellular cytokine production after stimulation with GAG peptides in CD4 and CD8 T cells from cross-sectional peripheral blood samples. We also evaluated the expression of 96 genes in sort-purified total CD4 and CD8 T cells along with HIV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells using a multiplexed RT-PCR approach. As a measure of HIV reservoir, total HIV-DNA quantification by real-time PCR was performed. Poisson regression modeling for predicting reservoir size using phenotypic markers revealed a signature that featured frequencies of PD-1+CD4 T cells, TIGIT+CD4 T cells and HIV-specific (CD40L+) CD4 T cells as important predictors and it also shows that time of ART initiation strongly affects their association with HIV-DNA. Further, gene expression analysis showed that the frequencies of PD-1+CD4 T cells associated with a CD4 T cell molecular profile skewed toward an exhausted Th1 profile. Our data provide a link between immune checkpoint molecules and HIV persistence in a pediatric cohort as has been demonstrated in adults. Frequencies of PD-1+ and TIGIT+CD4 T cells along with the frequency of HIV-specific CD4 T cells could be associated with the mechanism of viral persistence and may provide insight into potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Low HIV reservoir size is associated with positive outcomes of therapeutic approaches and better immune function. Here, we identified a 9-marker T cell immune signature based on phenotypic flow cytometry data that associated with total HIV DNA measurements in a pediatric cohort of 34 perinatally infected participants with sustained viral control. Notably, frequencies of PD-1+ CD4 T cells and TIGIT+ CD4 T cells were positively correlated and HIV-specific (CD40L+) CD4 T cells were negatively correlated with HIV DNA, and were impacted by time of ART initiation. Gene expression analysis by multiplex RT-PCR showed that the frequencies of PD-1+ CD4 T cells associated with an exhausted Th1 molecular profile in CD4 T cells. This signature could inform future therapeutic studies and provide mechanistic insight on HIV persistence in perinatally infected HIV.
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