Gema Méndez-Lagares, Didiana Jaramillo-Ruiz, Marjorie Pion, Manuel Leal, M A Muñoz-Fernández, Yolanda M Pacheco, Rafael Correa-Rocha.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr . 2014 Mar 1;65(3):278-82.
DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000092
Abstract
Indexation of regulatory T cells (Treg) to the number of activated T cells constitutes a homeostatic mechanism ensuring that T-cell expansion remains under control.
However, immune hyperactivation observed in HIV-infected patients suggests a possible dysfunction of this mechanism.
Here we show that the Treg/IL-2-producing cells’ balance is deeply disturbed in viremic HIV-infected patients.
We found a lower expression of IL-2 receptor alpha on Treg from viremic patients.
We confirmed in vitro that HIV infection of Treg downregulates IL-2 receptor alpha and phosphorylated STAT5.
Our results argue for an impaired capacity of Treg to sense the expansion of activated T cells in HIV-infected patients that could contribute to the immune deregulation.