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Salgado M, Migueles SA, Yu XG, Martinez-Picado J. Exceptional, naturally occurring HIV-1 control: Insight into a functional cure. MED 2024; 5:1071-1082. [PMID: 39013460 PMCID: PMC11411266 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.06.008] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Exceptional elite controllers represent an extremely rare group of people with HIV-1 (PWH) who exhibit spontaneous, high-level control of viral replication below the limits of detection in sensitive clinical monitoring assays and without disease progression in the absence of antiretroviral therapy for prolonged periods, frequently exceeding 25 years. Here, we discuss the different cases that have been reported in the scientific literature, their unique genetic, virological, and immunological characteristics, and their relevance as the best model for the functional cure of HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Salgado
- IrsiCaixa Immunopathology Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain; CIBERINFEC, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Stephen A Migueles
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Division of Intramural Research, and Collaborative Clinical Research Branch, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xu G Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Javier Martinez-Picado
- IrsiCaixa Immunopathology Research Institute, 08916 Badalona, Spain; CIBERINFEC, 28029 Madrid, Spain; University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), 08500 Vic, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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2
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Bone B, Lichterfeld M. "Block and lock" viral integration sites in persons with drug-free control of HIV-1 infection. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2024; 19:110-115. [PMID: 38457193 DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000845] [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] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Elite controllers (ECs) and Posttreatment controllers (PTCs) represent a small subset of individuals who are capable of maintaining drug-free control of HIV plasma viral loads despite the persistence of a replication-competent viral reservoir. This review aims to curate recent experimental studies evaluating viral reservoirs that distinguish EC/PTC and may contribute to their ability to maintain undetectable viral loads in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies on ECs have demonstrated that integration sites of intact proviruses in EC/PTC are markedly biased towards heterochromatin regions; in contrast, intact proviruses in accessible and permissive chromatin were profoundly underrepresented. Of note, no such biases were noted when CD4 + T cells from EC were infected directly ex vivo, suggesting that the viral reservoir profile in EC is not related to altered integration site preferences during acute infection, but instead represents the result of immune-mediated selection mechanisms that can eliminate proviruses in transcriptionally-active euchromatin regions while promoting preferential persistence of intact proviruses in nonpermissive genome regions. Proviral transcription in such "blocked and locked" regions may be restricted through epigenetic mechanisms, protecting them from immune-recognition but presumably limiting their ability to drive viral rebound. While the exact immune mechanisms driving this selection process remain undefined, recent single-cell analytic approaches support the hypothesis that HIV reservoir cells are subject to immune selection pressure by host factors. SUMMARY A "blocked and locked" viral reservoir profile may constitute a structural virological correlate of a functional cure of HIV-1 infection. Further research into the immunological mechanism promoting HIV-1 reservoir selection and evolution in EC/PTC is warranted and could inform foreseeable cure strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Bone
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham Women's Hospital, Boston
- The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mathias Lichterfeld
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham Women's Hospital, Boston
- The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Grant-McAuley W, Morgenlander W, Hudelson SE, Thakar M, Piwowar-Manning E, Clarke W, Breaud A, Blankson J, Wilson E, Ayles H, Bock P, Moore A, Kosloff B, Shanaube K, Meehan SA, van Deventer A, Fidler S, Hayes R, Ruczinski I, Kammers K, Laeyendecker O, Larman HB, Eshleman SH. Comprehensive profiling of pre-infection antibodies identifies HIV targets associated with viremic control and viral load. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1178520. [PMID: 37744365 PMCID: PMC10512082 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1178520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background High HIV viral load (VL) is associated with increased transmission risk and faster disease progression. HIV controllers achieve viral suppression without antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. We evaluated viremic control in a community-randomized trial with >48,000 participants. Methods A massively multiplexed antibody profiling system, VirScan, was used to quantify pre- and post-infection antibody reactivity to HIV peptides in 664 samples from 429 participants (13 controllers, 135 viremic non-controllers, 64 other non-controllers, 217 uninfected persons). Controllers had VLs <2,000 copies/mL with no ARV drugs detected at the first HIV-positive visit and one year later. Viremic non-controllers had VLs 2,000 copies/mL with no ARV drugs detected at the first HIV-positive visit. Other non-controllers had either ARV drugs detected at the first HIV-positive visit (n=47) or VLs <2,000 copies/mL with no ARV drugs detected at only one HIV-positive visit (n=17). Results We identified pre-infection HIV antibody reactivities that correlated with post-infection VL. Pre-infection reactivity to an epitope in the HR2 domain of gp41 was associated with controller status and lower VL. Pre-infection reactivity to an epitope in the C2 domain of gp120 was associated with non-controller status and higher VL. Different patterns of antibody reactivity were observed over time for these two epitopes. Conclusion These studies suggest that pre-infection HIV antibodies are associated with controller status and modulation of HIV VL. These findings may inform research on antibody-based interventions for HIV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Grant-McAuley
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - William Morgenlander
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sarah E. Hudelson
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Manjusha Thakar
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Estelle Piwowar-Manning
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - William Clarke
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Autumn Breaud
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Joel Blankson
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ethan Wilson
- Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Helen Ayles
- Zambart, University of Zambia School of Public Health, Lusaka, Zambia
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Bock
- Desmond Tutu TB Center, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Western Cape, South Africa
| | | | - Barry Kosloff
- Zambart, University of Zambia School of Public Health, Lusaka, Zambia
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kwame Shanaube
- Zambart, University of Zambia School of Public Health, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Sue-Ann Meehan
- Desmond Tutu TB Center, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Anneen van Deventer
- Desmond Tutu TB Center, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Sarah Fidler
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Hayes
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ingo Ruczinski
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kai Kammers
- Quantitative Sciences Division, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Oliver Laeyendecker
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - H. Benjamin Larman
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Susan H. Eshleman
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Hokello J, Tyagi P, Dimri S, Sharma AL, Tyagi M. Comparison of the Biological Basis for Non-HIV Transmission to HIV-Exposed Seronegative Individuals, Disease Non-Progression in HIV Long-Term Non-Progressors and Elite Controllers. Viruses 2023; 15:1362. [PMID: 37376660 DOI: 10.3390/v15061362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (HESIs) are a small fraction of persons who are multiply exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but do not exhibit serological or clinical evidence of HIV infection. In other words, they are groups of people maintaining an uninfected status for a long time, even after being exposed to HIV several times. The long-term non-progressors (LTNPs), on the other hand, are a group of HIV-infected individuals (approx. 5%) who remain clinically and immunologically stable for an extended number of years without combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Meanwhile, elite controllers are comprise a much lower number (0.5%) of HIV-infected persons who spontaneously and durably control viremia to below levels of detection for at least 12 months, even when using the most sensitive assays, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the absence of cART. Despite the fact that there is no universal agreement regarding the mechanisms by which these groups of individuals are able to control HIV infection and/or disease progression, there is a general consensus that the mechanisms of protection are multifaceted and include genetic, immunological as well as viral factors. In this review, we analyze and compare the biological factors responsible for the control of HIV in these unique groups of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Hokello
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Education, Busitema University, Tororo P.O. Box 236, Uganda
| | - Priya Tyagi
- Cherry Hill East High School, 1750 Kresson Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, USA
| | - Shelly Dimri
- George C. Marshall High School, Fairfax County Public Schools, 7731 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043, USA
| | | | - Mudit Tyagi
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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Veenhuis RT, Abreu CM, Costa PAG, Ferreira EA, Ratliff J, Pohlenz L, Shirk EN, Rubin LH, Blankson JN, Gama L, Clements JE. Monocyte-derived macrophages contain persistent latent HIV reservoirs. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:833-844. [PMID: 36973419 PMCID: PMC10159852 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01349-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The development of persistent cellular reservoirs of latent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a critical obstacle to viral eradication since viral rebound takes place once anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is interrupted. Previous studies show that HIV persists in myeloid cells (monocytes and macrophages) in blood and tissues in virologically suppressed people with HIV (vsPWH). However, how myeloid cells contribute to the size of the HIV reservoir and what impact they have on rebound after treatment interruption remain unclear. Here we report the development of a human monocyte-derived macrophage quantitative viral outgrowth assay (MDM-QVOA) and highly sensitive T cell detection assays to confirm purity. We assess the frequency of latent HIV in monocytes using this assay in a longitudinal cohort of vsPWH (n = 10, 100% male, ART duration 5-14 yr) and find half of the participants showed latent HIV in monocytes. In some participants, these reservoirs could be detected over several years. Additionally, we assessed HIV genomes in monocytes from 30 vsPWH (27% male, ART duration 5-22 yr) utilizing a myeloid-adapted intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) and demonstrate that intact genomes were present in 40% of the participants and higher total HIV DNA correlated with reactivatable latent reservoirs. The virus produced in the MDM-QVOA was capable of infecting bystander cells resulting in viral spread. These findings provide further evidence that myeloid cells meet the definition of a clinically relevant HIV reservoir and emphasize that myeloid reservoirs should be included in efforts towards an HIV cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca T Veenhuis
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Celina M Abreu
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pedro A G Costa
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edna A Ferreira
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Janaysha Ratliff
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lily Pohlenz
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Erin N Shirk
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leah H Rubin
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel N Blankson
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lucio Gama
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Janice E Clements
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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6
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Yuan X, Lai Y. Bibliometric and visualized analysis of elite controllers based on CiteSpace: landscapes, hotspots, and frontiers. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1147265. [PMID: 37124043 PMCID: PMC10130382 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1147265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A unique subset of people living with HIV, known as elite controllers, possess spontaneous and consistent control over viral replication and disease progression in the absence of antiviral intervention. In-depth research on elite controllers is conducive to designing better treatment strategies for HIV. However, comprehensive and illuminating bibliometric reports on elite controllers are rare. Methods Articles on elite controllers were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. A visualized analysis of this domain was conducted by CiteSpace software. Taking count, betweenness centrality, and burst value as criteria, we interpreted the visualization results and predicted future new directions and emerging trends. Results By December 31, 2022, 843 articles related to elite controllers had been published. The largest contributors in terms of country, institution, and author were the United States (485), Univ Calif San Francisco (87), and Walker B.D. (65), respectively. Migueles S.A. (325) and Journal of Virology (770) were the most cocited author and journal, respectively. Additionally, by summarizing the results of our CiteSpace software analysis on references and keywords, we considered that the research hotspots and frontiers on elite controllers mainly focus on three aspects: deciphering the mechanisms of durable control, delineating the implications for the development of treatments for HIV infection, and highlighting the clinical risks faced by elite controllers and coping strategies. Conclusion This study performed a bibliometric and visual analysis of elite controllers, identified the main characteristics and emerging trends, and provided insightful references for further development of this rapidly evolving and complex field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyue Yuan
- School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Lai
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Lai,
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Immunological and virological findings in a patient with exceptional post-treatment control: a case report. Lancet HIV 2023; 10:e42-e51. [PMID: 36354046 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3018(22)00302-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective in suppressing viral replication, HIV-1 persists in reservoirs and rebounds after ART has been stopped. However, a very few people (eg, elite and post-treatment controllers) are able to maintain viral loads below detection limits without ART, constituting a realistic model for long-term HIV remission. Here, we describe the HIV control mechanisms of an individual who showed exceptional post-treatment control for longer than 15 years. METHODS We report the case of a Hispanic woman aged 59 years with sexually acquired acute HIV infection, who was included in an immune-mediated primary HIV infection trial involving a short course of ciclosporine A, interleukin-2, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and pegylated interferon alfa, followed by analytical treatment interruption. We did the following viral assays: total and integrated HIV-1 DNA in CD4 T cells and rectal tissue, quantitative viral outgrowth assay, HIV-1 infectivity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD4 T-cell cultures and viral inhibitory activity by natural killer (NK) and CD8 T cells. NK and T-cell phenotypes were determined by flow cytometry. HLA, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors, Δ32CCR5, and NKG2C alleles were genotyped. FINDINGS After ART and immunomodulatory treatment, the person maintained undetectable plasma viral load for 15 years. HIV-1 subtype was CFR_02AG, CCR5-tropic. We found progressive reductions in viral reservoir during the 15-year treatment interruption: total HIV DNA (from 4573·50 copies per 106 CD4 T cells to 95·33 copies per 106 CD4 T cells) and integrated DNA (from 85·37 copies per 106 CD4 T cells to 5·25 copies per 106 CD4 T cells). Viral inhibition assays showed strong inhibition of in vitro HIV replication in co-cultures of CD4 T cells with autologous NK or CD8 T cells at 1:2 ratio (75% and 62%, respectively). Co-cultures with NK and CD8 T cells resulted in 93% inhibition. We detected higher-than-reference levels of both NKG2C-memory-like NK cells (46·2%) and NKG2C γδ T cells (64·9%) associated with HIV-1 control. INTERPRETATION We described long-term remission in a woman aged 59 years who was treated during primary HIV infection and has maintained undetectable viral load for 15 years without ART. Replication-competent HIV-1 was isolated. NKG2C-memory-like NK cells and γδ T cells were associated with the control viral replication. Strategies promoting these cells could bring about long-term HIV remission. FUNDING Fondo Europeo para el Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), SPANISH AIDS Research Network (RIS), Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS), HIVACAT, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya, la Caixa Foundation, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC). TRANSLATION For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
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8
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Contribution of the HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein to AIDS Pathogenesis and Clinical Progression. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092172. [PMID: 36140273 PMCID: PMC9495913 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of antiviral therapy, HIV-1 infection progresses to a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations that are the result of an entangled contribution of host, immune and viral factors. The contribution of these factors is not completely established. Several investigations have described the involvement of the immune system in the viral control. In addition, distinct HLA-B alleles, HLA-B27, -B57-58, were associated with infection control. The combination of these elements and antiviral host restriction factors results in different clinical outcomes. The role of the viral proteins in HIV-1 infection has been, however, less investigated. We will review contributions dedicated to the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection focusing on studies identifying the function of the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) in the clinical progression because of its essential role in the initial events of the virus life-cycle. Some analysis showed that inefficient viral Envs were dominant in non-progressor individuals. These poorly-functional viral proteins resulted in lower cellular activation, viral replication and minor viral loads. This limited viral antigenic production allows a better immune response and a lower immune exhaustion. Thus, the properties of HIV-1 Env are significant in the clinical outcome of the HIV-1 infection and AIDS pathogenesis.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The quest for HIV-1 cure could take advantage of the study of rare individuals that control viral replication spontaneously (elite controllers) or after an initial course of antiretroviral therapy (posttreatment controllers, PTCs). In this review, we will compare back-to-back the immunological and virological features underlying viral suppression in elite controllers and PTCs, and explore their possible contributions to the HIV-1 cure research. RECENT FINDINGS HIV-1 control in elite controllers shows hallmarks of an effective antiviral response, favored by genetic background and possibly associated to residual immune activation. The immune pressure in elite controllers might select against actively transcribing intact proviruses, allowing the persistence of a small and poorly inducible reservoir. Evidence on PTCs is less abundant but preliminary data suggest that antiviral immune responses may be less pronounced. Therefore, these patients may rely on distinct mechanisms, not completely elucidated to date, suppressing HIV-1 transcription and replication. SUMMARY PTCs and elite controllers may control HIV replication using distinct pathways, the elucidation of which may contribute to design future interventional strategies aiming to achieve a functional cure.
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10
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Anitha AK, Narayanan P, Ajayakumar N, Sivakumar KC, Kumar KS. Novel small synthetic HIV-1 V3 crown variants: CCR5 targeting ligands. J Biochem 2022; 172:149-164. [PMID: 35708645 PMCID: PMC9445593 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvac052] [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: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) antagonism represents a promising pharmacological strategy for therapeutic intervention as it plays a significant role in reducing the severity and progression of a wide range of pathological conditions. Here we designed and generated peptide ligands targeting the chemokine receptor, CCR5, that were derived from the critical interaction sites of the V3 crown domain of envelope protein glycoprotein gp120 (TRKSIHIGPGRAFYTTGEI) of HIV-1 using computational biology approach and the peptide sequence corresponding to this region was taken as the template peptide, designated as TMP-1. The peptide variants were synthesized by employing Fmoc chemistry using polymer support and were labelled with rhodamine B to study their interaction with the CCR5 receptor expressed on various cells. TMP-1 and TMP-2 were selected as the high-affinity ligands from in vitro receptor-binding assays. Specific receptor-binding experiments in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and HOS.CCR5 cells indicated that TMP-1 and TMP-2 had significant CCR5 specificity. Further, the functional analysis of TMP peptides using chemotactic migration assay showed that both peptides did not mediate the migration of responsive cells. Thus, template
TMP-1 and TMP-2 represent promising CCR5 targeting peptide candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju Krishnan Anitha
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Pathogen biology research program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India.,University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India
| | - Pratibha Narayanan
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Pathogen biology research program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India.,University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India
| | - Neethu Ajayakumar
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Pathogen biology research program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India.,University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India
| | - Krishnankutty Chandrika Sivakumar
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Pathogen biology research program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India
| | - Kesavakurup Santhosh Kumar
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Pathogen biology research program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India
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11
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Bernard NF, Kant S, Kiani Z, Tremblay C, Dupuy FP. Natural Killer Cells in Antibody Independent and Antibody Dependent HIV Control. Front Immunol 2022; 13:879124. [PMID: 35720328 PMCID: PMC9205404 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.879124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), when left untreated, typically leads to disease progression towards acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Some people living with HIV (PLWH) control their virus to levels below the limit of detection of standard viral load assays, without treatment. As such, they represent examples of a functional HIV cure. These individuals, called Elite Controllers (ECs), are rare, making up <1% of PLWH. Genome wide association studies mapped genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I region as important in HIV control. ECs have potent virus specific CD8+ T cell responses often restricted by protective MHC class I antigens. Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells whose activation state depends on the integration of activating and inhibitory signals arising from cell surface receptors interacting with their ligands on neighboring cells. Inhibitory NK cell receptors also use a subset of MHC class I antigens as ligands. This interaction educates NK cells, priming them to respond to HIV infected cell with reduced MHC class I antigen expression levels. NK cells can also be activated through the crosslinking of the activating NK cell receptor, CD16, which binds the fragment crystallizable portion of immunoglobulin G. This mode of activation confers NK cells with specificity to HIV infected cells when the antigen binding portion of CD16 bound immunoglobulin G recognizes HIV Envelope on infected cells. Here, we review the role of NK cells in antibody independent and antibody dependent HIV control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole F. Bernard
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Clinical Immunology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Nicole F. Bernard,
| | - Sanket Kant
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zahra Kiani
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cécile Tremblay
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology Infectiology and Immunology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Franck P. Dupuy
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Infectious Diseases, Immunology and Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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12
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Sugawara S, Reeves RK, Jost S. Learning to Be Elite: Lessons From HIV-1 Controllers and Animal Models on Trained Innate Immunity and Virus Suppression. Front Immunol 2022; 13:858383. [PMID: 35572502 PMCID: PMC9094575 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.858383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) has drastically changed the lives of people living with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), long-term treatment has been associated with a vast array of comorbidities. Therefore, a cure for HIV-1 remains the best option to globally eradicate HIV-1/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, development of strategies to achieve complete eradication of HIV-1 has been extremely challenging. Thus, the control of HIV-1 replication by the host immune system, namely functional cure, has long been studied as an alternative approach for HIV-1 cure. HIV-1 elite controllers (ECs) are rare individuals who naturally maintain undetectable HIV-1 replication levels in the absence of ART and whose immune repertoire might be a desirable blueprint for a functional cure. While the role(s) played by distinct human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression and CD8+ T cell responses expressing cognate ligands in controlling HIV-1 has been widely characterized in ECs, the innate immune phenotype has been decidedly understudied. Comparably, in animal models such as HIV-1-infected humanized mice and simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-infected non-human primates (NHP), viremic control is known to be associated with specific major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alleles and CD8+ T cell activity, but the innate immune response remains incompletely characterized. Notably, recent work demonstrating the existence of trained innate immunity may provide new complementary approaches to achieve an HIV-1 cure. Herein, we review the known characteristics of innate immune responses in ECs and available animal models, identify gaps of knowledge regarding responses by adaptive or trained innate immune cells, and speculate on potential strategies to induce EC-like responses in HIV-1 non-controllers.
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13
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Moyano A, Blanch-Lombarte O, Tarancon-Diez L, Pedreño-Lopez N, Arenas M, Alvaro T, Casado C, Olivares I, Vera M, Rodriguez C, Del Romero J, López-Galíndez C, Ruiz-Mateos E, Prado JG, Pernas M. Immunoescape of HIV-1 in Env-EL9 CD8 + T cell response restricted by HLA-B*14:02 in a Non progressor who lost twenty-seven years of HIV-1 control. Retrovirology 2022; 19:6. [PMID: 35346235 PMCID: PMC8962528 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-022-00591-7] [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: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Long-Term Non-Progressors (LTNPs) are untreated Human Immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals able to control disease progression for prolonged periods. However, the LTNPs status is temporary, as viral load increases followed by decreases in CD4 + T-cell counts. Control of HIV-1 infection in LTNPs viremic controllers, have been associated with effective immunodominant HIV-1 Gag-CD8 + T-cell responses restricted by protective HLA-B alleles. Individuals carrying HLA-B*14:02 control HIV-1 infection is related to an immunodominant Env-CD8 + T-cell response. Limited data are available on the contribution of HLA-B*14:02 CD8 + T -cells in LTNPs. Results In this study, we performed a virological and immunological detailed analysis of an HLA-B*14:02 LNTP individual that lost viral control (LVC) 27 years after HIV-1 diagnosis. We analysed viral evolution and immune escape in HLA-B*14:02 restricted CD8 + T -cell epitopes and identified viral evolution at the Env-EL9 epitope selecting the L592R mutation. By IFN-γ ELISpot and immune phenotype, we characterized HLA- B*14:02 HIV-1 CD8 + T cell responses targeting, Gag-DA9 and Env-EL9 epitopes before and after LVC. We observed an immunodominant response against the Env-EL9 epitope and a decreased of the CD8 T + cell response over time with LVC. Loss of Env-EL9 responses was concomitant with selecting K588R + L592R mutations at Env-EL9. Finally, we evaluated the impact of Env-EL9 escape mutations on HIV-1 infectivity and Env protein structure. The K588R + L592R escape variant was directly related to HIV-1 increase replicative capacity and stability of Env at the LVC. Conclusions These findings support the contribution of immunodominant Env-EL9 CD8 + T-cell responses and the imposition of immune escape variants with higher replicative capacity associated with LVC in this LNTP. These data highlight the importance of Env-EL9 specific-CD8 + T-cell responses restricted by the HLA-B*14:02 and brings new insights into understanding long-term HIV-1 control mediated by Env mediated CD8 + T-cell responses. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12977-022-00591-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moyano
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain.,Max Von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center, Virology, National Reference Center for Retroviruses, Faculty of Medicine, LMU München, Munich, Germany
| | - Oscar Blanch-Lombarte
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Crta Canyet SN, Badalona, 08916, Barcelona, Spain.,Autonomous University of Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Tarancon-Diez
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS)/Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.,Molecular Immunobiology Laboratory, Immunology Section, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria Pedreño-Lopez
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain.,IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Crta Canyet SN, Badalona, 08916, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Arenas
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain.,CINBIO, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain.,Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Tamara Alvaro
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Concepción Casado
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Olivares
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Vera
- Centro Sanitario Sandoval. Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Rodriguez
- Centro Sanitario Sandoval. Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Del Romero
- Centro Sanitario Sandoval. Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cecilio López-Galíndez
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ezequiel Ruiz-Mateos
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS)/Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Julia G Prado
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Crta Canyet SN, Badalona, 08916, Barcelona, Spain. .,Germans Trias I Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain.
| | - María Pernas
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera de Pozuelo a Majadahonda Km 2, 28220, Madrid, Spain.
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14
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Differential Expression of CREM/ICER Isoforms Is Associated with the Spontaneous Control of HIV Infection. mBio 2022; 13:e0197921. [PMID: 35041523 PMCID: PMC8725591 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01979-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A rare subset of HIV-infected individuals, termed elite controllers (ECs), can maintain long-term control over HIV replication in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). To elucidate the biological mechanism of resistance to HIV replication at the molecular and cellular levels, we performed RNA sequencing and identified alternative splicing variants from ECs, HIV-infected individuals undergoing ART, ART-naive HIV-infected individuals, and healthy controls. We identified differential gene expression patterns that are specific to ECs and may influence HIV resistance, including alternative RNA splicing and exon usage variants of the CREM/ICER gene (cyclic AMP [cAMP]-responsive element modulator/inducible cAMP early repressors). The knockout and knockdown of specific ICER exons that were found to be upregulated in ECs resulted in significantly increased HIV infection in a CD4+ T cell line and primary CD4+ T cells. Overexpression of ICER isoforms decreased HIV infection in primary CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, ICER regulated HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter activity in a Tat-dependent manner. Together, these results suggest that ICER is an HIV host factor that may contribute to the HIV resistance of ECs. These findings will help elucidate the mechanisms of HIV control by ECs and may yield a new approach for treatment of HIV. IMPORTANCE A small group of HIV-infected individuals, termed elite controllers (ECs), display control of HIV replication in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, the mechanism of ECs' resistance to HIV replication is not clear. In our work, we found an increased expression of specific, small isoforms of ICER in ECs. Further experiments proved that ICER is a robust host factor to regulate viral replication. Furthermore, we found that ICER regulates HIV LTR promoter activity in a Tat-dependent manner. These findings suggest that ICER is related to spontaneous control of HIV infection in ECs. This study may help elucidate a novel target for treatment of HIV.
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15
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Claireaux M, Robinot R, Kervevan J, Patgaonkar M, Staropoli I, Brelot A, Nouël A, Gellenoncourt S, Tang X, Héry M, Volant S, Perthame E, Avettand-Fenoël V, Buchrieser J, Cokelaer T, Bouchier C, Ma L, Boufassa F, Hendou S, Libri V, Hasan M, Zucman D, de Truchis P, Schwartz O, Lambotte O, Chakrabarti LA. Low CCR5 expression protects HIV-specific CD4+ T cells of elite controllers from viral entry. Nat Commun 2022; 13:521. [PMID: 35082297 PMCID: PMC8792008 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28130-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV elite controllers maintain a population of CD4 + T cells endowed with high avidity for Gag antigens and potent effector functions. How these HIV-specific cells avoid infection and depletion upon encounter with the virus remains incompletely understood. Ex vivo characterization of single Gag-specific CD4 + T cells reveals an advanced Th1 differentiation pattern in controllers, except for the CCR5 marker, which is downregulated compared to specific cells of treated patients. Accordingly, controller specific CD4 + T cells show decreased susceptibility to CCR5-dependent HIV entry. Two controllers carried biallelic mutations impairing CCR5 surface expression, indicating that in rare cases CCR5 downregulation can have a direct genetic cause. Increased expression of β-chemokine ligands upon high-avidity antigen/TCR interactions contributes to autocrine CCR5 downregulation in controllers without CCR5 mutations. These findings suggest that genetic and functional regulation of the primary HIV coreceptor CCR5 play a key role in promoting natural HIV control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Claireaux
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Rémy Robinot
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Kervevan
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Mandar Patgaonkar
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Staropoli
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Anne Brelot
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Nouël
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Stacy Gellenoncourt
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Xian Tang
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Héry
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Stevenn Volant
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Emeline Perthame
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Véronique Avettand-Fenoël
- AP-HP Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Laboratoire de Microbiologie clinique, Paris, France.,CNRS 8104, INSERM U1016, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Paris, France
| | - Julian Buchrieser
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Cokelaer
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Biomics Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Christiane Bouchier
- Biomics Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Ma
- Biomics Platform, C2RT, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Faroudy Boufassa
- INSERM U1018, Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Samia Hendou
- INSERM U1018, Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Valentina Libri
- Cytometry and Biomarkers (CB UTechS), Translational Research Center, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Milena Hasan
- Cytometry and Biomarkers (CB UTechS), Translational Research Center, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Pierre de Truchis
- AP-HP, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France
| | - Olivier Schwartz
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Lambotte
- INSERM U1184, Université Paris Sud, CEA, Center for Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.,AP-HP, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Lisa A Chakrabarti
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France. .,CNRS UMR3569, Paris, France.
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16
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Turk G, Seiger K, Lian X, Sun W, Parsons EM, Gao C, Rassadkina Y, Polo ML, Czernikier A, Ghiglione Y, Vellicce A, Varriale J, Lai J, Yuki Y, Martin M, Rhodes A, Lewin SR, Walker BD, Carrington M, Siliciano R, Siliciano J, Lichterfeld M, Laufer N, Yu XG. A Possible Sterilizing Cure of HIV-1 Infection Without Stem Cell Transplantation. Ann Intern Med 2022; 175:95-100. [PMID: 34781719 PMCID: PMC9215120 DOI: 10.7326/l21-0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A sterilizing cure of HIV-1 infection has been reported in 2 persons living with HIV-1 who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations from donors who were homozygous for the CCR5Δ32 gene polymorphism. However, this has been considered elusive during natural infection. OBJECTIVE To evaluate persistent HIV-1 reservoir cells in an elite controller with undetectable HIV-1 viremia for more than 8 years in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. DESIGN Detailed investigation of virologic and immunologic characteristics. SETTING Tertiary care centers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Boston, Massachusetts. PATIENT A patient with HIV-1 infection and durable drug-free suppression of HIV-1 replication. MEASUREMENTS Analysis of genome-intact and replication-competent HIV-1 using near-full-length individual proviral sequencing and viral outgrowth assays, respectively; analysis of HIV-1 plasma RNA by ultrasensitive HIV-1 viral load testing. RESULTS No genome-intact HIV-1 proviruses were detected in analysis of a total of 1.188 billion peripheral blood mononuclear cells and 503 million mononuclear cells from placental tissues. Seven defective proviruses, some of them derived from clonally expanded cells, were detected. A viral outgrowth assay failed to retrieve replication-competent HIV-1 from 150 million resting CD4+ T cells. No HIV-1 RNA was detected in 4.5 mL of plasma. LIMITATIONS Absence of evidence for intact HIV-1 proviruses in large numbers of cells is not evidence of absence of intact HIV-1 proviruses. A sterilizing cure of HIV-1 can never be empirically proved. CONCLUSION Genome-intact and replication-competent HIV-1 were not detected in an elite controller despite analysis of massive numbers of cells from blood and tissues, suggesting that this patient may have naturally achieved a sterilizing cure of HIV-1 infection. These observations raise the possibility that a sterilizing cure may be an extremely rare but possible outcome of HIV-1 infection. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE National Institutes of Health and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Turk
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Kyra Seiger
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaodong Lian
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Weiwei Sun
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth M. Parsons
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ce Gao
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Maria Laura Polo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Czernikier
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yanina Ghiglione
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Vellicce
- Department of Hematology, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Joseph Varriale
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jun Lai
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yuko Yuki
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, and Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Maureen Martin
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, and Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ajantha Rhodes
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sharon R. Lewin
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bruce D. Walker
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Mary Carrington
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland; and Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Robert Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Janet Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Mathias Lichterfeld
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Natalia Laufer
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Xu G. Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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17
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Picton ACP, Paximadis M, Koor GW, Bharuthram A, Shalekoff S, Lassauniere R, Ive P, Tiemessen CT. Reduced CCR5 Expression and Immune Quiescence in Black South African HIV-1 Controllers. Front Immunol 2021; 12:781263. [PMID: 34987508 PMCID: PMC8720782 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.781263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Unique Individuals who exhibit either suppressive HIV-1 control, or the ability to maintain low viral load set-points and preserve their CD4+ T cell counts for extended time periods in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, are broadly termed HIV-1 controllers. We assessed the extent to which black South African controllers (n=9), differ from uninfected healthy controls (HCs, n=22) in terms of lymphocyte and monocyte CCR5 expression (density and frequency of CCR5-expressing cells), immune activation as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) mitogen-induced chemokine/cytokine production. In addition, relative CD4+ T cell CCR5 mRNA expression was assessed in a larger group of controllers (n=20) compared to HCs (n=10) and HIV-1 progressors (n=12). Despite controllers having significantly higher frequencies of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (HLA-DR+) compared to HCs, CCR5 density was significantly lower in these T cell populations (P=0.039 and P=0.064, respectively). This lower CCR5 density was largely attributable to controllers with higher VLs (>400 RNA copies/ml). Significantly lower CD4+ T cell CCR5 density in controllers was maintained (P=0.036) when HCs (n=12) and controllers (n=9) were matched for age. CD4+ T cell CCR5 mRNA expression was significantly less in controllers compared to HCs (P=0.007) and progressors (P=0.002), whereas HCs and progressors were similar (P=0.223). The levels of soluble CD14 in plasma did not differ between controllers and HCs, suggesting no demonstrable monocyte activation. While controllers had lower monocyte CCR5 density compared to the HCs (P=0.02), significance was lost when groups were age-matched (P=0.804). However, when groups were matched for both CCR5 promoter haplotype and age (n=6 for both) reduced CCR5 density on monocytes in controllers relative to HCs was highly significant (P=0.009). Phytohemagglutinin-stimulated PBMCs from the controllers produced significantly less CCL3 (P=0.029), CCL4 (P=0.008) and IL-10 (P=0.028) compared to the HCs, which was largely attributable to the controllers with lower VLs (<400 RNA copies/ml). Our findings support a hypothesis of an inherent (genetic) predisposition to lower CCR5 expression in individuals who naturally control HIV-1, as has been suggested for Caucasian controllers, and thus, likely involves a mechanism shared between ethnically divergent population groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela C. P. Picton
- Centre for HIV and STIs, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Maria Paximadis
- Centre for HIV and STIs, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Virology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Maria Paximadis,
| | - Gemma W. Koor
- Centre for HIV and STIs, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Virology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Avani Bharuthram
- Centre for HIV and STIs, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Virology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sharon Shalekoff
- Centre for HIV and STIs, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Virology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ria Lassauniere
- Virus Research and Development Laboratory, Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Prudence Ive
- Department of Virology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Clinical HIV Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Caroline T. Tiemessen
- Centre for HIV and STIs, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Virology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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18
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Lian X, Gao C, Sun X, Jiang C, Einkauf KB, Seiger KW, Chevalier JM, Yuki Y, Martin M, Hoh R, Peluso MJ, Carrington M, Ruiz-Mateos E, Deeks SG, Rosenberg ES, Walker BD, Lichterfeld M, Yu XG. Signatures of immune selection in intact and defective proviruses distinguish HIV-1 elite controllers. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabl4097. [PMID: 34910552 PMCID: PMC9202005 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abl4097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that durable drug-free control of HIV-1 replication is enabled by effective cellular immune responses that may induce an attenuated viral reservoir configuration with a weaker ability to drive viral rebound. Here, we comprehensively tracked effects of antiviral immune responses on intact and defective proviral sequences from elite controllers (ECs), analyzing both classical escape mutations and HIV-1 chromosomal integration sites as biomarkers of antiviral immune selection pressure. We observed that, within ECs, defective proviruses were commonly located in permissive genic euchromatin positions, which represented an apparent contrast to autologous intact proviruses that were frequently located in heterochromatin regions; this suggests differential immune selection pressure on intact versus defective proviruses in ECs. In comparison to individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy, intact and defective proviruses from ECs showed reduced frequencies of escape mutations in cytotoxic T cell epitopes and antibody contact regions, possibly due to the small and poorly inducible reservoir that may be insufficient to drive effective viral escape in ECs. About 15% of ECs harbored nef deletions in intact proviruses, consistent with increased viral vulnerability to host immunity in the setting of nef dysfunction. Together, these results suggest a distinct signature of immune footprints in proviral sequences from ECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Lian
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ce Gao
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xiaoming Sun
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Chenyang Jiang
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kevin B. Einkauf
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kyra W. Seiger
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joshua M. Chevalier
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yuko Yuki
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD and Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Maureen Martin
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD and Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rebecca Hoh
- University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Michael J. Peluso
- University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Mary Carrington
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD and Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ezequiel Ruiz-Mateos
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Seville, Seville 41013, Spain
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Eric S. Rosenberg
- Infectious Disease Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bruce D. Walker
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mathias Lichterfeld
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xu G. Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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19
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New Approaches to Multi-Parametric HIV-1 Genetics Using Multiple Displacement Amplification: Determining the What, How, and Where of the HIV-1 Reservoir. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122475. [PMID: 34960744 PMCID: PMC8709494 DOI: 10.3390/v13122475] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of potential HIV-1 curative interventions requires accurate characterization of the proviral reservoir, defined as host-integrated viral DNA genomes that drive rebound of viremia upon halting ART (antiretroviral therapy). Evaluation of such interventions necessitates methods capable of pinpointing the rare, genetically intact, replication-competent proviruses within a background of defective proviruses. This evaluation can be achieved by identifying the distinct integration sites of intact proviruses within host genomes and monitoring the dynamics of these proviruses and host cell lineages over longitudinal sampling. Until recently, molecular genetic approaches at the single proviral level have been generally limited to one of a few metrics, such as proviral genome sequence/intactness, host-proviral integration site, or replication competency. New approaches, taking advantage of MDA (multiple displacement amplification) for WGA (whole genome amplification), have enabled multiparametric proviral characterization at the single-genome level, including proviral genome sequence, host-proviral integration site, and phenotypic characterization of the host cell lineage, such as CD4 memory subset and antigen specificity. In this review, we will examine the workflow of MDA-augmented molecular genetic approaches to study the HIV-1 reservoir, highlighting technical advantages and flexibility. We focus on a collection of recent studies in which investigators have used these approaches to comprehensively characterize intact and defective proviruses from donors on ART, investigate mechanisms of elite control, and define cell lineage identity and antigen specificity of infected CD4+ T cell clones. The highlighted studies exemplify how these approaches and their future iterations will be key in defining the targets and evaluating the impacts of HIV curative interventions.
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20
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Lee D, Yoon CH, Choi SY, Kim JE, Cho YK, Choi BS, Park J. Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Altered Biological Processes and Novel Markers in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Long-Term Non-Progressors. Infect Chemother 2021; 53:489-502. [PMID: 34623779 PMCID: PMC8511366 DOI: 10.3947/ic.2021.0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The latent reservoir of Human Immunodificiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) has been a major barrier to the complete eradication of HIV-1 and the development of HIV therapy. Long-term non-progressors (LTNPs) are a rare group of patients with HIV-1 who can spontaneously control HIV-1 replication without antiretroviral therapy. Transcriptome analysis is necessary to predict the pathways involved in the natural control of HIV-1, elucidate the mechanisms involved in LTNPs, and find biomarkers for HIV-1 reservoir therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we obtained peripheral blood mononuclear cells from two LTNP subjects at multiple time points and performed RNA-sequencing analyses. RESULTS We found that LTNPs and normal subjects had different transcriptome profiles. Functional annotation analysis identified that differentially expressed genes in LTNPs were enriched in several biological pathways such as cell cycle-related pathways and the transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway. However, genes that were downregulated in LTNPs were associated with immune responses such as the interferon response and IL2-STAT5 signaling. Protein-protein interaction network analysis showed that CD8A, KLRD1, ASGR1, and MLKL, whose gene expression was upregulated in LTNPs, directly interacted with HIV-1 proteins. The network analysis also found that viral proteins potentially regulated host genes that were associated with immune system processes, metabolic processes, and gene expression regulation. CONCLUSION Our longitudinal transcriptome analysis of the LTNPs identified multiple previously undescribed pathways and genes that may be useful in the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayeon Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea.,Anti-Virus Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Cheol-Hee Yoon
- Division of Chronic Viral Disease, Center for Emerging Virus Research, National Institute of Infectious Disease, National Institute of Health, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Sin Young Choi
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea.,Anti-Virus Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jung-Eun Kim
- Department of Microbiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young-Keol Cho
- Department of Microbiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Byeong-Sun Choi
- Division of Chronic Viral Disease, Center for Emerging Virus Research, National Institute of Infectious Disease, National Institute of Health, Cheongju, Korea.
| | - Jihwan Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea.,Anti-Virus Research Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea.
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21
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Yeh YHJ, Yang K, Razmi A, Ho YC. The Clonal Expansion Dynamics of the HIV-1 Reservoir: Mechanisms of Integration Site-Dependent Proliferation and HIV-1 Persistence. Viruses 2021; 13:1858. [PMID: 34578439 PMCID: PMC8473165 DOI: 10.3390/v13091858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 50% of the HIV-1 latent reservoir is maintained by clonal expansion. The clonally expanded HIV-1-infected cells can contribute to persistent nonsuppressible low-level viremia and viral rebound. HIV-1 integration site and proviral genome landscape profiling reveals the clonal expansion dynamics of HIV-1-infected cells. In individuals under long-term suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-1 integration sites are enriched in specific locations in certain cancer-related genes in the same orientation as the host transcription unit. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that HIV-1 drives aberrant cancer-related gene expression through HIV-1-to-host RNA splicing. Furthermore, the HIV-1 promoter dominates over the host gene promoter and drives high levels of cancer-related gene expression. When HIV-1 integrates into cancer-related genes and causes gain of function of oncogenes or loss of function of tumor suppressor genes, HIV-1 insertional mutagenesis drives the proliferation of HIV-1-infected cells and may cause cancer in rare cases. HIV-1-driven aberrant cancer-related gene expression at the integration site can be suppressed by CRISPR-mediated inhibition of the HIV-1 promoter or by HIV-1 suppressing agents. Given that ART does not suppress HIV-1 promoter activity, therapeutic agents that suppress HIV-1 transcription and halt the clonal expansion of HIV-1-infected cells should be explored to block the clonal expansion of the HIV-1 latent reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ya-Chi Ho
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; (Y.-H.J.Y.); (K.Y.); (A.R.)
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22
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Kaseke C, Tano-Menka R, Senjobe F, Gaiha GD. The Emerging Role for CTL Epitope Specificity in HIV Cure Efforts. J Infect Dis 2021; 223:32-37. [PMID: 33586771 PMCID: PMC7883022 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of an effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure is a critical global health priority. A major obstacle to this effort is the establishment of a latent reservoir of HIV infected cells, which necessitates lifelong therapy, causing both logistical and adherence burdens for infected individuals. However, in a subset of these individuals, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can durably suppress viral outgrowth in the absence of therapy, providing a path towards a viable HIV cure. In this review, we discuss the emerging role that CTLs have in HIV cure efforts, with particular emphasis on epitope specificity. Recent studies have demonstrated that successful in vivo containment of the virus is rooted in the specific targeting of fitness-constrained, mutation-resistant regions of the HIV proteome. We highlight these new insights, providing context with previous observations in HIV and other models of viral control, and delineate their translation into a therapeutic vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarety Kaseke
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rhoda Tano-Menka
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Fernando Senjobe
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Virology Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gaurav D Gaiha
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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23
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Siliciano JD, Siliciano RF. Low Inducibility of Latent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Proviruses as a Major Barrier to Cure. J Infect Dis 2021; 223:13-21. [PMID: 33586775 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The latent reservoir for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in resting CD4+ T cells is a major barrier to cure. The dimensions of the reservoir problem can be defined with 2 assays. A definitive minimal estimate of the frequency of latently infected cells is provided by the quantitative viral outgrowth assay (QVOA), which detects cells that can be induced by T-cell activation to release infectious virus. In contrast, the intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) detects all genetically intact proviruses and provides a more accurate upper limit on reservoir size than standard single-amplicon polymerase chain reaction assays which mainly detect defective proviruses. The frequency of cells capable of initiating viral rebound on interruption of antiretroviral therapy lies between the values produced by the QVOA and the IPDA. We argue here that the 1-2-log difference between QVOA and IPDA values in part reflects that the fact that many replication-competent proviruses are not readily induced by T-cell activation. Findings of earlier studies suggest that latently infected cells can be activated to proliferate in vivo without expressing viral genes. The proliferating cells nevertheless retain the ability to produce virus on subsequent stimulation. The low inducibility of latent proviruses is a major problem for the shock-and-kill strategy for curing HIV-1 infection, which uses latency-reversing agents to induce viral gene expression and render infected cells susceptible to immune clearance. The latency-reversing agents developed to date are much less effective at reversing latency than T-cell activation. Taken together, these results indicate that HIV-1 eradication will require the discovery of much more effective ways to induce viral gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet D Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert F Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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24
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Kammers K, Chen A, Monaco DR, Hudelson SE, Grant-McAuley W, Moore RD, Alter G, Deeks SG, Morrison CS, Eller LA, Blankson JN, Laeyendecker O, Ruczinski I, Eshleman SH, Larman HB. HIV Antibody Profiles in HIV Controllers and Persons With Treatment-Induced Viral Suppression. Front Immunol 2021; 12:740395. [PMID: 34512672 PMCID: PMC8428532 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.740395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Low HIV viral load is associated with delayed disease progression and reduced HIV transmission. HIV controllers suppress viral load to low levels in the absence of antiretroviral treatment (ART). We used an antibody profiling system, VirScan, to compare antibody reactivity and specificity in HIV controllers, non-controllers with treatment-induced viral suppression, and viremic non-controllers. Methods The VirScan library contains 3,384 phage-displayed peptides spanning the HIV proteome. Antibody reactivity to these peptides was measured in plasma from a Discovery Cohort that included 13 elite controllers, 27 viremic controllers, 12 viremic non-controllers, and 21 non-controllers who were virally suppressed on ART. Antibody reactivity to selected peptides was also assessed in an independent cohort of 29 elite controllers and 37 non-controllers who were virally suppressed on ART (Validation Cohort) and in a longitudinal cohort of non-controllers. Results In the Discovery Cohort, 62 peptides were preferentially targeted in HIV controllers compared to non-controllers who were virally suppressed on ART. These specificities were not significantly different when comparing controllers versus viremic non-controllers. Aggregate reactivity to these peptides was also high in elite controllers from the independent Validation Cohort. The 62 peptides formed seven clusters of homologous epitopes in env, gag, integrase, and vpu. Reactivity to one of these clusters located in gag p17 was inversely correlated with viral load set point in an independent cohort of non-controllers. Conclusions Antibody reactivity was low in non-controllers suppressed on ART, but remained high in viremic controllers despite viral suppression. Antibodies in controllers and viremic non-controllers were directed against epitopes in diverse HIV proteins; higher reactivity against p17 peptides was associated with lower viral load set point. Further studies are needed to determine if these antibodies play a role in regulation of HIV viral load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Kammers
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Athena Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Daniel R. Monaco
- Department of Pathology and the Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sarah E. Hudelson
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Wendy Grant-McAuley
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Richard D. Moore
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Galit Alter
- Department of Medicine, Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Charles S. Morrison
- Behavioral, Epidemiologic and Clinical Sciences, Family Health International (FHI) 360, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Leigh A. Eller
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Joel N. Blankson
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Oliver Laeyendecker
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ingo Ruczinski
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Susan H. Eshleman
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: H. Benjamin Larman, ; Susan H. Eshleman,
| | - H. Benjamin Larman
- Department of Pathology and the Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: H. Benjamin Larman, ; Susan H. Eshleman,
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25
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Li JZ, Blankson JN. How elite controllers and posttreatment controllers inform our search for an HIV-1 cure. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:e149414. [PMID: 34060478 DOI: 10.1172/jci149414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A small percentage of people living with HIV-1 can control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy (ART). These patients are called elite controllers (ECs) if they are able to maintain viral suppression without initiating ART and posttreatment controllers (PTCs) if they control HIV replication after ART has been discontinued. Both types of controllers may serve as a model of a functional cure for HIV-1 but the mechanisms responsible for viral control have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we highlight key lessons that have been learned so far in the study of ECs and PTCs and their implications for HIV cure research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Z Li
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel N Blankson
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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26
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Cabrera-Rodríguez R, Pérez-Yanes S, Estévez-Herrera J, Márquez-Arce D, Cabrera C, Espert L, Blanco J, Valenzuela-Fernández A. The Interplay of HIV and Autophagy in Early Infection. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:661446. [PMID: 33995324 PMCID: PMC8113651 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.661446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV/AIDS is still a global threat despite the notable efforts made by the scientific and health communities to understand viral infection, to design new drugs or to improve existing ones, as well as to develop advanced therapies and vaccine designs for functional cure and viral eradication. The identification and analysis of HIV-1 positive individuals that naturally control viral replication in the absence of antiretroviral treatment has provided clues about cellular processes that could interact with viral proteins and RNA and define subsequent viral replication and clinical progression. This is the case of autophagy, a degradative process that not only maintains cell homeostasis by recycling misfolded/old cellular elements to obtain nutrients, but is also relevant in the innate and adaptive immunity against viruses, such as HIV-1. Several studies suggest that early steps of HIV-1 infection, such as virus binding to CD4 or membrane fusion, allow the virus to modulate autophagy pathways preparing cells to be permissive for viral infection. Confirming this interplay, strategies based on autophagy modulation are able to inhibit early steps of HIV-1 infection. Moreover, autophagy dysregulation in late steps of the HIV-1 replication cycle may promote autophagic cell-death of CD4+ T cells or control of HIV-1 latency, likely contributing to disease progression and HIV persistence in infected individuals. In this scenario, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying HIV/autophagy interplay may contribute to the development of new strategies to control HIV-1 replication. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the knowledge of the interplay between autophagy and the early events of HIV-1 infection, and how autophagy modulation could impair or benefit HIV-1 infection and persistence, impacting viral pathogenesis, immune control of viral replication, and clinical progression of HIV-1 infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Cabrera-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, e IUETSPC de la Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Ofra s/n, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Silvia Pérez-Yanes
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, e IUETSPC de la Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Ofra s/n, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Judith Estévez-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, e IUETSPC de la Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Ofra s/n, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Daniel Márquez-Arce
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, e IUETSPC de la Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Ofra s/n, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Cecilia Cabrera
- AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa, Institut de Recerca en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucile Espert
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Julià Blanco
- AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa, Institut de Recerca en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat de Vic-Central de Catalunya (UVIC-UCC), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Agustín Valenzuela-Fernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, e IUETSPC de la Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Ofra s/n, Tenerife, Spain
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27
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Janssens J, Bruggemans A, Christ F, Debyser Z. Towards a Functional Cure of HIV-1: Insight Into the Chromatin Landscape of the Provirus. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:636642. [PMID: 33868195 PMCID: PMC8044952 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.636642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite potent combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV-1 infection persists due to irreversible integration of the virus in long-living cells of the immune system. The main focus of HIV-1 cure strategies has been on HIV-1 eradication, yet without great success so far. Therefore, HIV-1 remission or a functional cure, whereby the virus is silenced rather than eradicated, is considered as an alternative strategy. Elite controllers, individuals who spontaneously control HIV-1, may point us the way toward a functional HIV-1 cure. In order to achieve such a cure, a profound understanding of the mechanisms controlling HIV-1 expression and silencing is needed. In recent years, evidence has grown that the site of integration as well as the chromatin landscape surrounding the integration site affects the transcriptional state of the provirus. Still, at present, the impact of integration site selection on the establishment and maintenance of the HIV-1 reservoirs remains poorly understood. The discovery of LEDGF/p75 as a binding partner of HIV-1 integrase has led to a better understanding of integration site selection. LEDGF/p75 is one of the important determinants of integration site selection and targets integration toward active genes. In this review, we will provide an overview of the most important determinants of integration site selection. Secondly, we will discuss the chromatin landscape at the integration site and its implications on HIV-1 gene expression and silencing. Finally, we will discuss how interventions that affect integration site selection or modifications of the chromatin could yield a functional cure of HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Janssens
- Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anne Bruggemans
- Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frauke Christ
- Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zeger Debyser
- Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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28
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Immunologic Control of HIV-1: What Have We Learned and Can We Induce It? Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2021; 18:211-220. [PMID: 33709324 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-021-00545-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW A large amount of data now exists on the virus-specific immune response associated with spontaneous or induced immunologic control of lentiviruses. This review focuses on how the current understanding of HIV-specific immunity might be leveraged into induction of immunologic control and what further research is needed to accomplish this goal. RECENT FINDINGS During chronic infection, the function most robustly associated with immunologic control of HIV-1 is CD8+ T cell cytotoxic capacity. This function has proven difficult to restore in HIV-specific CD8+ T cells of chronically infected progressors in vitro and in vivo. However, progress has been made in inducing an effective CD8+ T cell response prior to lentiviral infection in the macaque model and during acute lentiviral infection in non-human primates. Further study will likely accelerate the ability to induce an effective CD8+ T cell response as part of prophylactic or therapeutic strategies.
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DeepTCR is a deep learning framework for revealing sequence concepts within T-cell repertoires. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1605. [PMID: 33707415 PMCID: PMC7952906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21879-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep learning algorithms have been utilized to achieve enhanced performance in pattern-recognition tasks. The ability to learn complex patterns in data has tremendous implications in immunogenomics. T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing assesses the diversity of the adaptive immune system and allows for modeling its sequence determinants of antigenicity. We present DeepTCR, a suite of unsupervised and supervised deep learning methods able to model highly complex TCR sequencing data by learning a joint representation of a TCR by its CDR3 sequences and V/D/J gene usage. We demonstrate the utility of deep learning to provide an improved 'featurization' of the TCR across multiple human and murine datasets, including improved classification of antigen-specific TCRs and extraction of antigen-specific TCRs from noisy single-cell RNA-Seq and T-cell culture-based assays. Our results highlight the flexibility and capacity for deep neural networks to extract meaningful information from complex immunogenomic data for both descriptive and predictive purposes.
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Berg MG, Olivo A, Harris BJ, Rodgers MA, James L, Mampunza S, Niles J, Baer F, Yamaguchi J, Kaptue L, Laeyendecker O, Quinn TC, McArthur C, Cloherty GA. A high prevalence of potential HIV elite controllers identified over 30 years in Democratic Republic of Congo. EBioMedicine 2021; 65:103258. [PMID: 33674212 PMCID: PMC7992073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In-depth analysis of the HIV pandemic at its epicenter in the Congo basin has been hampered by 40 years of political unrest and lack of functional public health infrastructure. In recent surveillance studies (2017-18), we found that the prevalence of HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (11%) far exceeded previous estimates. Methods 10,457 participants were screened in Kinshasa with rapid tests from 2017-2019. Individuals confirmed as reactive by the Abbott ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay (n=1968) were measured by the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 viral load assay. Follow up characterization of samples was performed with alternate manufacturer viral load assays, qPCR for additional blood borne viruses, unbiased next generation sequencing, and HIV Western blotting. Findings Our data suggested the existence of a significant cohort (n=429) of HIV antibody positive/viral load negative individuals. We systematically eliminated collection site bias, sample integrity, and viral genetic diversity as alternative explanations for undetectable viral loads. Mass spectroscopy unexpectedly detected the presence of 3TC antiviral medication in approximately 60% of those tested (209/354), and negative Western blot results indicated false positive serology in 12% (49/404). From the remaining Western blot positives (n=53) and indeterminates (n=31) with reactive Combo and rapid test results, we estimate 2.7-4.3% of infections in DRC to be potential elite controllers. We also analyzed samples from the DRC collected in 1987 and 2001-03, when antiretroviral drugs were not available, and found similarly elevated trends. Interpretation Viral suppression to undetectable viral loads without therapy occurs infrequently in HIV-1 infected patients around the world. Mining of global data suggests a unique ability to control HIV infection arose early in central Africa and occurs in <1% of founder populations. Identification of this group of elite controllers presents a unique opportunity to study potentially novel genetic mechanisms of viral suppression. Funding Abbott Laboratories funded surveillance in DRC and subsequent research efforts. Additional funding was received from a MIZZOU Award from the University of Missouri. Research was supported in part by the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Berg
- Infectious Diseases Research, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, United States.
| | - Ana Olivo
- Infectious Diseases Research, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, United States
| | - Barbara J Harris
- Infectious Diseases Research, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, United States
| | - Mary A Rodgers
- Infectious Diseases Research, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, United States
| | - Linda James
- Université Protestante au Congo, Croisement de l'avenue de Libération et du Boulevard Triomphal, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; IMA World Health, 1730 M St NW Suite 1100, Washington DC, United States
| | - Samuel Mampunza
- Université Protestante au Congo, Croisement de l'avenue de Libération et du Boulevard Triomphal, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Jonathan Niles
- IMA World Health, 1730 M St NW Suite 1100, Washington DC, United States
| | - Franklin Baer
- SANRU NGO, 76 Ave. de la Justice, Kinshasa-Gombe, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Julie Yamaguchi
- Infectious Diseases Research, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, United States
| | | | - Oliver Laeyendecker
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Baltimore MD, United States; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Thomas C Quinn
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Baltimore MD, United States; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Carole McArthur
- Pathology Department, Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, United States; Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, Kansas City, MO, United States; University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO, United States
| | - Gavin A Cloherty
- Infectious Diseases Research, Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, United States
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Adams P, Iserentant G, Servais JY, Vandekerckhove L, Vanham G, Seguin-Devaux C. Cytotoxic CD8+ T Cells Expressing CXCR5 Are Detectable in HIV-1 Elite Controllers After Prolonged In Vitro Peptide Stimulation. Front Immunol 2021; 11:622343. [PMID: 33717056 PMCID: PMC7945035 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.622343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not curative as HIV-1 persists in long-lived viral reservoirs. Consequently, patients are dependent on life-long drug adherence with possible side effects. To overcome these limitations strategies of a functional cure aim at ART free viral remission. In this study, we sought to identify detailed subsets of anti-viral CD8+ T cell immunity linked to natural long-term control of HIV-1 infection. Here, we analyzed HIV controllers and ART suppressed progressors for in vitro viral suppressive capacity (VSC) at baseline and after peptide stimulation. Functional properties and phenotypes of CD8+ T cells were assessed by IFN-γ ELISPOT and 18 color flow cytometry. HIV controllers showed significantly increased suppression at baseline as well as after peptide stimulation. IFN-γ secretion and the proliferation marker Ki67 positively correlated with VSC. Moreover, the detailed phenotype of three distinct multifunctional memory CD8+ T cell subsets were specific traits of HIV controllers of which two correlated convincingly with VSC. Our results underline the importance of multifunctional CD8+ T cell responses during natural control. Especially the role of CXCR5 expressing cytotoxic subsets emphasizes potential surveillance in sites of reservoir persistence and demand further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Adams
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.,Departments of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gilles Iserentant
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jean-Yves Servais
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | | | - Guido Vanham
- Departments of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Carole Seguin-Devaux
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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Li JZ, Segal FP, Bosch RJ, Lalama CM, Roberts-Toler C, Delagreverie H, Getz R, Garcia-Broncano P, Kinslow J, Tressler R, Van Dam CN, Keefer M, Carrington M, Lichterfeld M, Kuritzkes D, Yu XG, Landay A, Sax PE. Antiretroviral Therapy Reduces T-cell Activation and Immune Exhaustion Markers in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Controllers. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 70:1636-1642. [PMID: 31131858 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite low plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA, HIV controllers have evidence of viral replication and elevated inflammation. We assessed the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on HIV suppression, immune activation, and quality of life (QoL). METHODS A5308 was a prospective, open-label study of rilpivirine/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in ART-naive HIV controllers (N = 35), defined as having HIV RNA <500 copies/mL for ≥12 months. The primary outcome measured change in %CD38+HLA-DR+ CD8+ T cells. Residual plasma viremia was measured using the integrase single-copy assay. QoL was measured using the EQ-5D questionnaire. Outcomes were evaluated using repeated measures general estimating equations models. RESULTS Before ART, HIV controllers with undetectable residual viremia <0.6 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL had higher CD4+ counts and lower levels of T-cell activation than those with detectable residual viremia. ART use was effective in further increasing the proportion of individuals with undetectable residual viremia (pre-ART vs after 24-48 weeks of ART: 19% vs 94%, P < .001). Significant declines were observed in the %CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+ T cells at 24-48 (-4.0%, P = .001) and 72-96 (-7.2%, P < .001) weeks after ART initiation. ART use resulted in decreases of several cellular markers of immune exhaustion and in a modest but significant improvement in self-reported QoL. There were no significant changes in CD4+ counts or HIV DNA. CONCLUSIONS ART in HIV controllers reduces T-cell activation and improves markers of immune exhaustion. These results support the possible clinical benefits of ART in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Z Li
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Florencia P Segal
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ronald J Bosch
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christina M Lalama
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carla Roberts-Toler
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Heloise Delagreverie
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Service de Microbiologie, Universite Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Getz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Jennifer Kinslow
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Randall Tressler
- Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Cornelius N Van Dam
- Regional Center for Infectious Disease, Cone Health, Greensboro, North Carolina
| | - Michael Keefer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York
| | - Mary Carrington
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge.,Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Mathias Lichterfeld
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Kuritzkes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xu G Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge
| | - Alan Landay
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Paul E Sax
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Woldemeskel BA, Kwaa AK, Blankson JN. Viral reservoirs in elite controllers of HIV-1 infection: Implications for HIV cure strategies. EBioMedicine 2020; 62:103118. [PMID: 33181459 PMCID: PMC7658501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Elite controllers are HIV-1 positive subjects who control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy. Many of these subjects have replication-competent virus and thus represent a model of a functional cure. Peripheral CD4+ T cells in these subjects have small reservoirs with a low frequency of intact proviruses. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that many of these intact proviruses are disproportionally integrated at sites that have limited transcriptional activity raising the possibility that replication-competent viruses do not replicate because they are in a “blocked and locked” state. However, this feature is probably a consequence rather than a cause of elite control. Additionally, evolution of plasma virus has been detected in many elites suggesting that there continues to be ongoing viral replication in other compartments. While exceptional elite controllers with very limited viral reservoirs have recently been described, more work is needed to determine whether these patients have achieved a sterilizing cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bezawit A Woldemeskel
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Abena K Kwaa
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Joel N Blankson
- Center for AIDS Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 855 N. Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
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Jiang C, Lian X, Gao C, Sun X, Einkauf KB, Chevalier JM, Chen SMY, Hua S, Rhee B, Chang K, Blackmer JE, Osborn M, Peluso MJ, Hoh R, Somsouk M, Milush J, Bertagnolli LN, Sweet SE, Varriale JA, Burbelo PD, Chun TW, Laird GM, Serrao E, Engelman AN, Carrington M, Siliciano RF, Siliciano JM, Deeks SG, Walker BD, Lichterfeld M, Yu XG. Distinct viral reservoirs in individuals with spontaneous control of HIV-1. Nature 2020; 585:261-267. [PMID: 32848246 PMCID: PMC7837306 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2651-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Sustained, drug-free control of HIV-1 replication is naturally achieved in less than 0.5% of infected individuals (here termed 'elite controllers'), despite the presence of a replication-competent viral reservoir1. Inducing such an ability to spontaneously maintain undetectable plasma viraemia is a major objective of HIV-1 cure research, but the characteristics of proviral reservoirs in elite controllers remain to be determined. Here, using next-generation sequencing of near-full-length single HIV-1 genomes and corresponding chromosomal integration sites, we show that the proviral reservoirs of elite controllers frequently consist of oligoclonal to near-monoclonal clusters of intact proviral sequences. In contrast to individuals treated with long-term antiretroviral therapy, intact proviral sequences from elite controllers were integrated at highly distinct sites in the human genome and were preferentially located in centromeric satellite DNA or in Krüppel-associated box domain-containing zinc finger genes on chromosome 19, both of which are associated with heterochromatin features. Moreover, the integration sites of intact proviral sequences from elite controllers showed an increased distance to transcriptional start sites and accessible chromatin of the host genome and were enriched in repressive chromatin marks. These data suggest that a distinct configuration of the proviral reservoir represents a structural correlate of natural viral control, and that the quality, rather than the quantity, of viral reservoirs can be an important distinguishing feature for a functional cure of HIV-1 infection. Moreover, in one elite controller, we were unable to detect intact proviral sequences despite analysing more than 1.5 billion peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which raises the possibility that a sterilizing cure of HIV-1 infection, which has previously been observed only following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation2,3, may be feasible in rare instances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Jiang
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaodong Lian
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ce Gao
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoming Sun
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kevin B Einkauf
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua M Chevalier
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Stephane Hua
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ben Rhee
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaylee Chang
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Matthew Osborn
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Peluso
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rebecca Hoh
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ma Somsouk
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Milush
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lynn N Bertagnolli
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah E Sweet
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph A Varriale
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter D Burbelo
- Dental Clinical Research Core, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tae-Wook Chun
- National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Erik Serrao
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alan N Engelman
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mary Carrington
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Robert F Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Janet M Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce D Walker
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mathias Lichterfeld
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xu G Yu
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Infectious Disease Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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Ayala-Suárez R, Díez-Fuertes F, Calonge E, De La Torre Tarazona HE, Gracia-Ruíz de Alda M, Capa L, Alcamí J. Insight in miRNome of Long-Term Non-Progressors and Elite Controllers Exposes Potential RNAi Role in Restraining HIV-1 Infection. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9082452. [PMID: 32751854 PMCID: PMC7464121 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term non-progressors (LTNP) and elite controllers (EC) represent spontaneous natural models of efficient HIV-1 response in the absence of treatment. The main purposes of this work are to describe the miRNome of HIV-1 infected patients with different extreme phenotypes and identify potentially altered pathways regulated by differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs. The miRNomes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of dual phenotype EC-LTNP or LTNP with detectable viremia and HIV-infected patients with typical progression before and after treatment, were obtained through miRNA-Seq and compared among them. The administration of treatment produces 18 DE miRNAs in typical progressors. LTNP condition shows 14 DE miRNA when compared to typical progressors, allowing LTNP phenotype differentiation. A set of four miRNAs: miR-144-3p, miR-18a-5p, miR-451a, and miR-324 is strongly downregulated in LTNP and related to protein regulation as AKT, mTOR, ERK or IKK, involved in immune response pathways. Deregulation of 28 miRNA is observed between EC-LTNP and viremic-LTNP, including previously described anti-HIV miRNAs: miR-29a, associated with LTNP phenotype, and miR-155, targeting different pre-integration complexes such as ADAM10 and TNPO3. A holistic perspective of the changes observed in the miRNome of patients with different phenotypes of HIV-control and non-progression is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Ayala-Suárez
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-S.); (E.C.); (H.E.D.L.T.T.); (L.C.)
| | - Francisco Díez-Fuertes
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-S.); (E.C.); (H.E.D.L.T.T.); (L.C.)
- HIV Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (F.D.-F.); (J.A.); Tel.: +34-91-822-3234 (F.D.-F.); +34-91-822-3943 (J.A.)
| | - Esther Calonge
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-S.); (E.C.); (H.E.D.L.T.T.); (L.C.)
| | - Humberto Erick De La Torre Tarazona
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-S.); (E.C.); (H.E.D.L.T.T.); (L.C.)
| | - María Gracia-Ruíz de Alda
- Sección de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Medicina Interna, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
| | - Laura Capa
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-S.); (E.C.); (H.E.D.L.T.T.); (L.C.)
| | - José Alcamí
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (R.A.-S.); (E.C.); (H.E.D.L.T.T.); (L.C.)
- HIV Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: (F.D.-F.); (J.A.); Tel.: +34-91-822-3234 (F.D.-F.); +34-91-822-3943 (J.A.)
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Gomes STM, da Silva Graça Amoras E, Gomes ÉR, Queiroz MAF, Júnior ECS, de Vasconcelos Massafra JM, da Silva Lemos P, Júnior JLV, Ishak R, Vallinoto ACR. Immune escape mutations in HIV-1 controllers in the Brazilian Amazon region. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:546. [PMID: 32711474 PMCID: PMC7382849 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05268-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection is characterized by high viral replication and a decrease in CD4+ T cells (CD4+TC), resulting in AIDS, which can lead to death. In elite controllers and viremia controllers, viral replication is naturally controlled, with maintenance of CD4+TC levels without the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS The aim of the present study was to describe virological and immunological risk factors among HIV-1-infected individuals according to characteristics of progression to AIDS. The sample included 30 treatment-naive patients classified into three groups based on infection duration (> 6 years), CD4+TC count and viral load: (i) 2 elite controllers (ECs), (ii) 7 viremia controllers (VCs) and (iii) 21 nonviremia controllers (NVCs). Nested PCR was employed to amplify the virus genome, which was later sequenced using the Ion PGM platform for subtyping and analysis of immune escape mutations. RESULTS Viral samples were classified as HIV-1 subtypes B and F. Greater selection pressure on mutations was observed in the group of viremia controllers, with a higher frequency of immunological escape mutations in the genes investigated, including two new mutations in gag. The viral sequences of viremia controllers and nonviremia controllers did not differ significantly regarding the presence of immune escape mutations. CONCLUSION The results suggest that progression to AIDS is not dependent on a single variable but rather on a set of characteristics and pressures exerted by virus biology and interactions with immunogenetic host factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samara Tatielle Monteiro Gomes
- Laboratory of Virology, Biological Science Institute, Federal University of Pará (ICB/UFPA), Ananindeua, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents, Biological Science Institute, Federal University of Pará, Ananindeua, Brazil
| | | | - Érica Ribeiro Gomes
- Laboratory of Virology, Biological Science Institute, Federal University of Pará (ICB/UFPA), Ananindeua, Brazil
| | - Maria Alice Freitas Queiroz
- Laboratory of Virology, Biological Science Institute, Federal University of Pará (ICB/UFPA), Ananindeua, Brazil
| | - Edivaldo Costa Sousa Júnior
- Health Surveillance Department, Ministry of Health (IEC-SVS/MS), Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Brazil
| | | | - Poliana da Silva Lemos
- Health Surveillance Department, Ministry of Health (IEC-SVS/MS), Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Brazil
| | - João Lídio Vianez Júnior
- Health Surveillance Department, Ministry of Health (IEC-SVS/MS), Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Ishak
- Laboratory of Virology, Biological Science Institute, Federal University of Pará (ICB/UFPA), Ananindeua, Brazil
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38
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Antar AA, Jenike KM, Jang S, Rigau DN, Reeves DB, Hoh R, Krone MR, Keruly JC, Moore RD, Schiffer JT, Nonyane BA, Hecht FM, Deeks SG, Siliciano JD, Ho YC, Siliciano RF. Longitudinal study reveals HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cell dynamics during long-term antiretroviral therapy. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:3543-3559. [PMID: 32191639 PMCID: PMC7324206 DOI: 10.1172/jci135953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Proliferation of CD4+ T cells harboring HIV-1 proviruses is a major contributor to viral persistence in people on antiretroviral therapy (ART). To determine whether differential rates of clonal proliferation or HIV-1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) pressure shape the provirus landscape, we performed an intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) and obtained 661 near-full-length provirus sequences from 8 individuals with suppressed viral loads on ART at time points 7 years apart. We observed slow decay of intact proviruses but no changes in the proportions of various types of defective proviruses. The proportion of intact proviruses in expanded clones was similar to that of defective proviruses in clones. Intact proviruses observed in clones did not have more escaped CTL epitopes than intact proviruses observed as singlets. Concordantly, total proviruses at later time points or observed in clones were not enriched in escaped or unrecognized epitopes. Three individuals with natural control of HIV-1 infection (controllers) on ART, included because controllers have strong HIV-1-specific CTL responses, had a smaller proportion of intact proviruses but a distribution of defective provirus types and escaped or unrecognized epitopes similar to that of the other individuals. This work suggests that CTL selection does not significantly check clonal proliferation of infected cells or greatly alter the provirus landscape in people on ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annukka A.R. Antar
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Katharine M. Jenike
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sunyoung Jang
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Danielle N. Rigau
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel B. Reeves
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Melissa R. Krone
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeanne C. Keruly
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard D. Moore
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshua T. Schiffer
- Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Bareng A.S. Nonyane
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Janet D. Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ya-Chi Ho
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert F. Siliciano
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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39
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Chan HY, Zhang J, Garliss CC, Kwaa AK, Blankson JN, Smith KN. A T Cell Receptor Sequencing-Based Assay Identifies Cross-Reactive Recall CD8 + T Cell Clonotypes Against Autologous HIV-1 Epitope Variants. Front Immunol 2020; 11:591. [PMID: 32318072 PMCID: PMC7154155 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 positive elite controllers or suppressors control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy, likely via CTL-mediated elimination of infected cells, and therefore represent a model of an HIV-1 functional cure. Efforts to cure HIV-1 accordingly rely on the existence or generation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to eradicate infected cells upon reversal of latency. Detecting and quantifying these HIV-1-specific CTL responses will be crucial for developing vaccine and T cell-based immunotherapies. A recently developed assay, called MANAFEST, uses T cell receptor (TCR) Vβ sequencing of peptide-stimulated cultures followed by a bioinformatic pipeline to identify neoantigen-specific T cells in cancer patients. This assay is more sensitive than conventional immune assays and therefore has the possibility to identify HIV-1 antigenic targets that have not been previously explored for vaccine or T cell immunotherapeutic strategies. Here we show that a modified version of the MANAFEST assay, called ViraFEST, can identify memory CD8+ T cell responses against autologous HIV-1 Gag and Nef epitope variants in an elite suppressor. Nine TCR Vβ clonotypes were identified and 6 of these were cross-reactive for autologous variants or known escape variants. Our findings are a proof of principle that the ViraFEST assay can be used to detect and monitor these responses for downstream use in immunotherapeutic treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hok Yee Chan
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Caroline C Garliss
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Abena K Kwaa
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Joel N Blankson
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kellie N Smith
- Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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40
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Kwaa AK, Garliss CC, Ritter KD, Laird GM, Blankson JN. Elite suppressors have low frequencies of intact HIV-1 proviral DNA. AIDS 2020; 34:641-643. [PMID: 31895150 PMCID: PMC7610219 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
: Elite controllers or suppressors control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy. We used the intact proviral DNA assay to approximate the size of the inducible latent reservoir in elite suppressors and found that, while the median frequency of both total and intact proviral DNA was markedly lower than the frequencies seen in chronic progressors on antiretroviral therapy there was no significant difference in the ratio of intact to total proviral DNA between elite suppressors and chronic progressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abena Kr Kwaa
- Department of Medicine, Center For AIDS Research, Johns Hopkins Medicine
| | - Caroline C Garliss
- Department of Medicine, Center For AIDS Research, Johns Hopkins Medicine
| | | | | | - Joel N Blankson
- Department of Medicine, Center For AIDS Research, Johns Hopkins Medicine
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41
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Abstract
HIV infection can be effectively treated by lifelong administration of combination antiretroviral therapy, but an effective vaccine will likely be required to end the HIV epidemic. Although the majority of current vaccine strategies focus on the induction of neutralizing antibodies, there is substantial evidence that cellular immunity mediated by CD8+ T cells can sustain long-term disease-free and transmission-free HIV control and may be harnessed to induce both therapeutic and preventive antiviral effects. In this Review, we discuss the increasing evidence derived from individuals who spontaneously control infection without antiretroviral therapy as well as preclinical immunization studies that provide a clear rationale for renewed efforts to develop a CD8+ T cell-based HIV vaccine in conjunction with B cell vaccine efforts. Further, we outline the remaining challenges in translating these findings into viable HIV prevention, treatment and cure strategies. Recently, antibody-mediated control of HIV infection has received considerable attention. Here, the authors discuss the importance of CD8+ T cells in HIV infection and suggest that efforts to develop vaccines that target these cells in conjunction with B cells should be renewed.
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42
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Casado C, Galvez C, Pernas M, Tarancon-Diez L, Rodriguez C, Sanchez-Merino V, Vera M, Olivares I, De Pablo-Bernal R, Merino-Mansilla A, Del Romero J, Lorenzo-Redondo R, Ruiz-Mateos E, Salgado M, Martinez-Picado J, Lopez-Galindez C. Permanent control of HIV-1 pathogenesis in exceptional elite controllers: a model of spontaneous cure. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1902. [PMID: 32024974 PMCID: PMC7002478 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58696-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Elite controllers (EC) represent a small subset of HIV-1-infected people that spontaneously control viral replication. However, natural virological suppression and absence of immune dysfunction are not always long-term sustained. We define exceptional EC (EEC) as HIV-1 subjects who maintain the EC characteristics without disease progression for more than 25 years. We analyzed three EEC, diagnosed between 1988 and 1992, who never showed signs of clinical disease progression in absence of any antiretroviral treatment. A comprehensive clinical, virological, and immunological study was performed. The individuals simultaneously exhibited ≥3 described host protective alleles, low levels of total HIV-1 DNA (<20 copies/106 CD4+ T-cells) without evidence of replication-competent viruses (<0.025 IUPM), consistent with high levels of defective genomes, strong cellular HIV-1-specific immune response, and a high poly-functionality index (>0.50). Inflammation levels of EEC were similar to HIV-1 negative donors. Remarkably, they showed an exceptional lack of viral evolution and 8-fold lower genetic diversity (<0.01 s/n) in env gene than other EC. We postulate that these EEC represent cases of spontaneous functional HIV-1 cure. A non-functional and non-genetically evolving viral reservoir along with an HIV-1-specific immune response seems to be key for the spontaneous functional cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concepcion Casado
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Galvez
- AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Maria Pernas
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Tarancon-Diez
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Carmen Rodriguez
- Centro Sanitario Sandoval, Hospital Clínico San Carlos. IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor Sanchez-Merino
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit. Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus. Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Vera
- Centro Sanitario Sandoval, Hospital Clínico San Carlos. IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Olivares
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebeca De Pablo-Bernal
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Alberto Merino-Mansilla
- AIDS Immunopathology Unit. Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus. Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Del Romero
- Centro Sanitario Sandoval, Hospital Clínico San Carlos. IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, 60011, USA
| | - Ezequiel Ruiz-Mateos
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Javier Martinez-Picado
- AIDS Research Institute IrsiCaixa, Badalona, Spain.
- University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Cecilio Lopez-Galindez
- Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
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43
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Nguyen S, Deleage C, Darko S, Ransier A, Truong DP, Agarwal D, Japp AS, Wu VH, Kuri-Cervantes L, Abdel-Mohsen M, Del Rio Estrada PM, Ablanedo-Terrazas Y, Gostick E, Hoxie JA, Zhang NR, Naji A, Reyes-Terán G, Estes JD, Price DA, Douek DC, Deeks SG, Buggert M, Betts MR. Elite control of HIV is associated with distinct functional and transcriptional signatures in lymphoid tissue CD8 + T cells. Sci Transl Med 2019; 11:eaax4077. [PMID: 31852798 PMCID: PMC7265335 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aax4077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The functional properties of circulating CD8+ T cells have been associated with immune control of HIV. However, viral replication occurs predominantly in secondary lymphoid tissues, such as lymph nodes (LNs). We used an integrated single-cell approach to characterize effective HIV-specific CD8+ T cell responses in the LNs of elite controllers (ECs), defined as individuals who suppress viral replication in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Higher frequencies of total memory and follicle-homing HIV-specific CD8+ T cells were detected in the LNs of ECs compared with the LNs of chronic progressors (CPs) who were not receiving ART. Moreover, HIV-specific CD8+ T cells potently suppressed viral replication without demonstrable cytolytic activity in the LNs of ECs, which harbored substantially lower amounts of CD4+ T cell-associated HIV DNA and RNA compared with the LNs of CPs. Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses further revealed a distinct transcriptional signature among HIV-specific CD8+ T cells from the LNs of ECs, typified by the down-regulation of inhibitory receptors and cytolytic molecules and the up-regulation of multiple cytokines, predicted secreted factors, and components of the protein translation machinery. Collectively, these results provide a mechanistic framework to expedite the identification of novel antiviral factors, highlighting a potential role for the localized deployment of noncytolytic functions as a determinant of immune efficacy against HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Son Nguyen
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Claire Deleage
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Samuel Darko
- Human Immunology Section, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Amy Ransier
- Human Immunology Section, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Duc P Truong
- Department of Mathematics, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Divyansh Agarwal
- Department of Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alberto Sada Japp
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Vincent H Wu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Leticia Kuri-Cervantes
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Perla M Del Rio Estrada
- Departamento de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Yuria Ablanedo-Terrazas
- Departamento de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Emma Gostick
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - James A Hoxie
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nancy R Zhang
- Department of Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ali Naji
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gustavo Reyes-Terán
- Departamento de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Jacob D Estes
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- Division of Pathobiology and Immunology, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - David A Price
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Daniel C Douek
- Human Immunology Section, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Steven G Deeks
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
| | - Marcus Buggert
- Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael R Betts
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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44
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Etemad B, Esmaeilzadeh E, Li JZ. Learning From the Exceptions: HIV Remission in Post-treatment Controllers. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1749. [PMID: 31396237 PMCID: PMC6668499 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the top priorities of the HIV field is the search for therapeutic interventions that can lead to sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free HIV remission. Although the majority of HIV-infected persons will experience rapid viral rebound after ART interruption, there are rare individuals, termed post-treatment controllers (PTCs), who demonstrate sustained virologic suppression for months or years after treatment cessation. These individuals are considered an ideal example of durable HIV control, with direct implications for HIV cure research. However, understanding of the mechanisms behind the capacity of PTCs to control HIV remains incomplete. This is in part due to the scarcity of PTCs identified through any one research center or clinical trial, and in part because of the limited scope of studies that have been performed in these remarkable individuals. In this review, we summarize the results of both clinical and basic research studies of PTCs to date, explore key differences between PTCs and HIV spontaneous controllers, examine potential mechanisms of post-treatment control, and discuss unanswered questions and future research directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jonathan Z. Li
- Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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45
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Bachmann N, von Siebenthal C, Vongrad V, Turk T, Neumann K, Beerenwinkel N, Bogojeska J, Fellay J, Roth V, Kok YL, Thorball CW, Borghesi A, Parbhoo S, Wieser M, Böni J, Perreau M, Klimkait T, Yerly S, Battegay M, Rauch A, Hoffmann M, Bernasconi E, Cavassini M, Kouyos RD, Günthard HF, Metzner KJ. Determinants of HIV-1 reservoir size and long-term dynamics during suppressive ART. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3193. [PMID: 31324762 PMCID: PMC6642170 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10884-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The HIV-1 reservoir is the major hurdle to a cure. We here evaluate viral and host characteristics associated with reservoir size and long-term dynamics in 1,057 individuals on suppressive antiretroviral therapy for a median of 5.4 years. At the population level, the reservoir decreases with diminishing differences over time, but increases in 26.6% of individuals. Viral blips and low-level viremia are significantly associated with slower reservoir decay. Initiation of ART within the first year of infection, pretreatment viral load, and ethnicity affect reservoir size, but less so long-term dynamics. Viral blips and low-level viremia are thus relevant for reservoir and cure studies. Here, Bachmann et al. provide data on long-term dynamics of the HIV-1 reservoir in 1,057 individuals on suppressive antiretroviral therapy and show that in 26.6% of individuals the reservoir increases. Viral blips and low-level viremia are significantly associated with a slower reservoir decay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Bachmann
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chantal von Siebenthal
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Vongrad
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Teja Turk
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Neumann
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.,SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Jaques Fellay
- School of Life Sciences, EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Precision Medicine Unit, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Volker Roth
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yik Lim Kok
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Alessandro Borghesi
- School of Life Sciences, EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Sonali Parbhoo
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mario Wieser
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Böni
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthieu Perreau
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Klimkait
- Division Infection Diagnostics, Department Biomedicine-Petersplatz, University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Yerly
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Laboratory of Virology, University Hospital Geneva, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Battegay
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andri Rauch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Hoffmann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, 9007, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Enos Bernasconi
- Infectious Diseases Service, Regional Hospital, 6900, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Cavassini
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Roger D Kouyos
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Huldrych F Günthard
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Karin J Metzner
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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46
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Elite controllers and lessons learned for HIV-1 cure. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 38:31-36. [PMID: 31252326 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Following the success of HIV-1 antiviral treatment that maintains undetectable levels of viral replication and lack of clinical progression, the design of an HIV-1 cure for patients became the next objective. The success of the treated individuals together with the identification of subjects that spontaneously control the clinical progression for long periods, such as long-term non-progressors (LTNPs) and particularly LTNP Elite Controllers (LTNP EC) have shed hope for the feasibility of a potential cure. Although a successful cure has not been attained yet, these patients have provided critical information on the mechanisms involved in the clinical control such as host genetic factors, as well as strong immune responses against the virus. Less attention has been paid to virological factors, particularly the association of the genetic variability and the control of viral infection. Considering all these studies, it has become clear that a combination of several host, immune and viral factors is needed to attain control of the viral replication control and the non-progressor clinical phenotype. Because this control can be reached through different combinations of factors, this group of individuals is not homogenous. As HIV-1 cure has been shown to be extremely difficult to achieve, a more feasible objective is the functional cure of the viral infection. After the analysis of multiple studies on the mechanisms of control in LTNP EC, we found subjects with various host protective factors and prolonged viral control. These subjects present a complete lack of evolution after more than 20-30 years of infection, stable levels of CD4+ cells (>400-500 cells/μl), a strong immune response, and no signs of clinical progression. We propose that individuals with these characteristics could have attained a functional cure of the HIV-1 infection.
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Gonzalo-Gil E, Rapuano PB, Ikediobi U, Leibowitz R, Mehta S, Coskun AK, Porterfield JZ, Lampkin TD, Marconi VC, Rimland D, Walker BD, Deeks S, Sutton RE. Transcriptional down-regulation of ccr5 in a subset of HIV+ controllers and their family members. eLife 2019; 8:e44360. [PMID: 30964004 PMCID: PMC6456299 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV +Elite and Viremic controllers (EC/VCs) are able to control virus infection, perhaps because of host genetic determinants. We identified 16% (21 of 131) EC/VCs with CD4 +T cells with resistance specific to R5-tropic HIV, reversed after introduction of ccr5. R5 resistance was not observed in macrophages and depended upon the method of T cell activation. CD4 +T cells of these EC/VCs had lower ccr2 and ccr5 RNA levels, reduced CCR2 and CCR5 cell-surface expression, and decreased levels of secreted chemokines. T cells had no changes in chemokine receptor mRNA half-life but instead had lower levels of active transcription of ccr2 and ccr5, despite having more accessible chromatin by ATAC-seq. Other nearby genes were also down-regulated, over a region of ~500 kb on chromosome 3p21. This same R5 resistance phenotype was observed in family members of an index VC, also associated with ccr2/ccr5 down-regulation, suggesting that the phenotype is heritable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gonzalo-Gil
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Patrick B Rapuano
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Uchenna Ikediobi
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Rebecca Leibowitz
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Sameet Mehta
- Yale Center for Genome Analysis Bioinformatics groupYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Ayse K Coskun
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - J Zachary Porterfield
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Teagan D Lampkin
- Infectious Diseases SectionDallas VA Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Vincent C Marconi
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Emory University School of MedicineAtlantaUnited States
| | - David Rimland
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Emory University School of MedicineAtlantaUnited States
| | - Bruce D Walker
- Ragon Institute of MGHMIT and Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Steven Deeks
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Richard E Sutton
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineYale University School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
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López-Galíndez C. HIV long-term non-progressors elite controllers: an interplay between host, immune and viral factors. Future Virol 2019. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2018-0207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
There is a rare group of HIV-1-infected individuals who show permanent control of clinical progression for over 10 years, maintain CD4+ cells >500 μl and have undetectable viral loads; they are designated long-term non-progressors elite controllers (LTNPs ECs). Multiple studies have demonstrated the necessary contribution of at least two of host, immune and viral factors to the LTNP phenotype. This group of individuals is not homogenous because of the different involvement of these factors. We will review the role of each of these and their combinations to the LTNP EC phenotype. LTNP EC individuals offer an opportunity for the investigation into the mechanisms for the spontaneous control of HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilio López-Galíndez
- Unidad de Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid 28220, Spain
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HIV controllers suppress viral replication and evolution and prevent disease progression following intersubtype HIV-1 superinfection. AIDS 2019; 33:399-410. [PMID: 30531316 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of intersubtype HIV-1 superinfection on viremia, reservoir reseeding, viral evolution and disease progression in HIV controllers (HIC). DESIGN A longitudinal analysis of two Brazilian HIC individuals (EEC09 and VC32) previously identified as dually infected with subtypes B and F1 viruses. METHODS Changes in plasma viremia, total HIV-1 DNA levels, CD4+ T-cell counts and HIV-1 quasispecies composition were measured over time. HIV-1 env diversity in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and plasma samples was accessed by single genome amplification and next-generation sequencing approaches, respectively. Viral evolution was evaluated by estimating nucleotide diversity and divergence. RESULTS Individual EEC09 was probably initially infected with a CCR5-tropic subtype B strain and sequentially superinfected with a CXCR4-tropic subtype B strain and with a subtype F1 variant. Individual VC32 was infected with a subtype B strain and superinfected with a subtype F1 variant. The intersubtype superinfection events lead to a moderate increase in viremia and extensive turnover of viral population in plasma but exhibited divergent impact on the size and composition of cell-associated HIV DNA population. Both individuals maintained virologic control (<2000 copies/ml) and presented no evidence of viral evolution or immunologic progression for at least 2 years after the intersubtype superinfection event. CONCLUSION These data revealed that some HIC are able to repeatedly limit replication and evolution of superinfecting viral strains of a different subtype with no signs of disease progression.
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Ding J, Ma L, Zhao J, Xie Y, Zhou J, Li X, Cen S. An integrative genomic analysis of transcriptional profiles identifies characteristic genes and patterns in HIV-infected long-term non-progressors and elite controllers. J Transl Med 2019; 17:35. [PMID: 30665429 PMCID: PMC6341564 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-1777-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite that most HIV-infected individuals experience progressive CD4+ T cell loss and develop AIDS, a minority of HIV-infected individuals remain asymptomatic and maintain high level CD4+ T cell counts several years after seroconversion. Efforts have been made to understand the determinants of the nonprogressive status, exemplified by the clinical course of elite controllers (ECs) who maintain an undetectable viremia and viremic nonprogressors (VNPs) who have a normal CD4+ count in spite of circulating viral load. However, the intrinsic mechanism underlying nonprogression remained elusive. In this study, we performed an integrative analysis of transcriptional profiles to pinpoint the underlying mechanism for a naturally occurring viral control. Methods Three microarray datasets, reporting mRNA expression of the LTNPs or ECs in HIV-infected patients, were retrieved from Gene Expression Ominbus (GEO) or Arrayexpress databases. These datasets, profiled on the same type of microarray chip, were selected and merged by a bioinformatic approach to build a meta-analysis derived transcriptome (MADNT). In addition, we investigated the different transcriptional pathways and potential biomarkers in CD4+ and CD8+ cells in ECs and whole blood in VNPs compared to HIV progressors. The combined transcriptome and each subgroup was subject to gene set enrichment analysis and weighted co-expression network analysis to search potential transcription patterns related to the non-progressive status. Results 30 up-regulated genes and 83 down-regulated genes were identified in lymphocytes from integrative meta-analysis of expression data. The interferon response and innate immune activation was reduced in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from ECs. Several characteristic genes including CMPK1, CBX7, EIF3L, EIF4A and ZNF395 were indicated to be highly correlated with viremic control. Besides that, we indicated that the reduction of ribosome components and blockade of translation facilitated AIDS disease progression. Most interestingly, among VNPs who have a relatively high viral load, we detected a two gene-interaction networks which showed a strong correlation to immune control even with a rigorous statistical threshold (p value = 2−e4 and p value = 0.004, respectively) by WGCNA. Conclusions We have identified differentially expressed genes and transcriptional patterns in ECs and VNPs compared to normal chronic HIV-infected individuals. Our study provides new insights into the pathogenesis of HIV and AIDS and clues for the therapeutic strategies for anti-retroviral administration. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-019-1777-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwei Ding
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Ling Ma
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jianyuan Zhao
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yongli Xie
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jinming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321004, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Shan Cen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100050, China.
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