CIITA enhances HIV-1 attachment to CD4+ T cells leading to enhanced infection and cell depletion

Differential Epigenetic Regulation in Uninfected and Tuberculosis-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Co-Infected Patients

This study aimed to compare the degree of epigenetic modifications between a TB-HIV co-infected cohort and uninfected subjects. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues were retrieved from 45 TB-HIV co-infected and 45 control individuals. Real-time PCR was applied to compare the level of expression of genes involved in epigenetic regulation. The protein multiplex assay was used to assess the degree of protein modification. DNA sequencing was used to determine the evolutionary relationships between the infecting HIV and Mtb strains. Our results indicated a significant increase in the expression of the five candidate genes in the patients with TB-HIV relative to the control cohort. A sharp increase in the degree of histone methylation, acetylation and phosphorylation was observed in TB-HIV co-infected patients. The phylogenetic analysis classified the strains into three distinct HIV clusters and five Mtb clusters. The disparities in the expression profiles of our candidate genes between the TB-HIV cohort and non-TB-HIV group highlights the important role played by various TB and HIV strains in regulating the host gene expression landscape.

HLA Class II Antigen Processing and Presentation Pathway Components Demonstrated by Transcriptome and Protein Analyses of Islet β-Cells From Donors With Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes studies consistently generate data showing islet β-cell dysfunction and T cell-mediated anti-β-cell-specific autoimmunity. To explore the pathogenesis, we interrogated the β-cell transcriptomes from donors with and without type 1 diabetes using both bulk-sorted and single β-cells. Consistent with immunohistological studies, β-cells from donors with type 1 diabetes displayed increased Class I transcripts and associated mRNA species. These β-cells also expressed mRNA for Class II and Class II antigen presentation pathway components, but lacked the macrophage marker CD68. Immunohistological study of three independent cohorts of donors with recent-onset type 1 diabetes showed Class II protein and its transcriptional regulator Class II MHC trans-activator protein expressed by a subset of insulin⁺CD68^- β-cells, specifically found in islets with lymphocytic infiltrates. β-Cell surface expression of HLA Class II was detected on a portion of CD45^-insulin⁺ β-cells from donors with type 1 diabetes by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Our data demonstrate that pancreatic β-cells from donors with type 1 diabetes express Class II molecules on selected cells with other key genes in those pathways and inflammation-associated genes. β-Cell expression of Class II molecules suggests that β-cells may interact directly with islet-infiltrating CD4⁺ T cells and may play an immunopathogenic role.

Evaluation of a method to measure HHV-6B infection in vitro based on cell size

BACKGROUND

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6A and HHV-6B) infection of cell cultures can be measured by different methods, including immunofluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, or quantification of virus DNA by qPCR. These methods are reliable and sensitive but require long processing times and can be costly. Another method used in the field relies on the identification of enlarged cells in the culture; this method requires little sample processing and is relatively fast. However, visual inspection of cell cultures can be subjective and it can be difficult to establish clear criteria to decide if a cell is enlarged. To overcome these issues, we explored a method to monitor HHV-6B infections based on the systematic and objective measurement of the size of cells using an imaging-based automated cell counter.

RESULTS

The size of cells in non-infected and HHV-6B-infected cultures was measured at different times post-infection. The relatively narrow size distribution observed for non-infected cultures contrasted with the broader distributions observed in infected cultures. The average size of cultures shifted towards higher values after infection, and the differences were significant for cultures infected with relatively high doses of virus and/or screened at longer times post-infection. Correlation analysis showed that the trend observed for average size was similar to the trend observed for two other methods to measure infection: amount of virus DNA in supernatant and the percentage of cells expressing a viral antigen. In order to determine the performance of the size-based method in differentiating non-infected and infected cells, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the data. Analysis using size of individual cells showed a moderate performance in detecting infected cells (area under the curve (AUC) ~ 0.80-0.87), while analysis using the average size of cells showed a very good performance in detecting infected cultures (AUC ~ 0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

The size-based method proved to be useful in monitoring HHV-6B infections for cultures where a substantial fraction of cells were infected and when monitored at longer times post-infection, with the advantage of being relatively fast and easy. It is a convenient method for monitoring virus production in-vitro and bulk infection of cells.

BCG vaccination induces HIV target cell activation in HIV-exposed infants in a randomized trial

BACKGROUND. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is administered at birth to protect infants against tuberculosis throughout Africa, where most perinatal HIV-1 transmission occurs. We examined whether BCG vaccination alters the levels of activated HIV target T cells in HIV-exposed South African infants. METHODS. HIV-exposed infants were randomized to receive routine (at birth) or delayed (at 8 weeks) BCG vaccination. Activated and CCR5-expressing peripheral blood CD4⁺ T cell, monocyte, and NK cell frequencies were evaluated by flow cytometry and immune gene expression via PCR using Biomark (Fluidigm). RESULTS. Of 149 infants randomized, 92% (n = 137) were retained at 6 weeks: 71 in the routine BCG arm and 66 in the delayed arm. Routine BCG vaccination led to a 3-fold increase in systemic activation of HIV target CD4⁺CCR5⁺ T cells (HLA-DR⁺CD38⁺) at 6 weeks (0.25% at birth versus 0.08% in delayed vaccination groups; P = 0.029), which persisted until 8 weeks of age when the delayed arm was vaccinated. Vaccination of the infants in the delayed arm at 8 weeks resulted in a similar increase in activated CD4⁺CCR5⁺ T cells. The increase in activated T cells was associated with increased levels of MHC class II transactivator (CIITA), IL12RB1, and IFN-α1 transcripts within peripheral blood mononuclear cells but minimal changes in innate cells. CONCLUSION. BCG vaccination induces immune changes in HIV-exposed infants, including an increase in the proportion of activated CCR5⁺CD4⁺ HIV target cells. These findings provide insight into optimal BCG vaccine timing to minimize the risks of HIV transmissions to exposed infants while preserving potential benefits conferred by BCG vaccination. TRIAL REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02062580. FUNDING. This trial was sponsored by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (MV-00-9-900-01871-0-00) and the Thrasher Foundation (NR-0095); for details, see Acknowledgments.

Differential transmembrane domain GXXXG motif pairing impacts major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II structure

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules exhibit conformational heterogeneity, which influences their ability to stimulate CD4 T cells and drive immune responses. Previous studies suggest a role for the transmembrane domain of the class II αβ heterodimer in determining molecular structure and function. Our previous studies identified an MHC class II conformer that is marked by the Ia.2 epitope. These Ia.2(+) class II conformers are lipid raft-associated and able to drive both tyrosine kinase signaling and efficient antigen presentation to CD4 T cells. Here, we establish that the Ia.2(+) I-A(k) conformer is formed early in the class II biosynthetic pathway and that differential pairing of highly conserved transmembrane domain GXXXG dimerization motifs is responsible for formation of Ia.2(+) versus Ia.2(-) I-A(k) class II conformers and controlling lipid raft partitioning. These findings provide a molecular explanation for the formation of two distinct MHC class II conformers that differ in their inherent ability to signal and drive robust T cell activation, providing new insight into the role of MHC class II in regulating antigen-presenting cell-T cell interactions critical to the initiation and control of multiple aspects of the immune response.