CIENCIASMEDICASNEWS: Dynamics of CD8 T-Cell Activation After Discontinuation of H... : JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

lunes, 3 de junio de 2013

Dynamics of CD8 T-Cell Activation After Discontinuation of H... : JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes

JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes:

1 June 2013 - Volume 63 - Issue 2 - p 152–160

doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e318289439a

Basic and Translational Science

Dynamics of CD8 T-Cell Activation After Discontinuation of HIV Treatment Intensification

Massanella, Marta PhD^; Esteve, Anna PhD^†; Buzón, Maria J. PhD^; Llibre, Josep M. MD^‡; Puertas, Maria C. PhD^; Gatell, Josep M. MD^§; Domingo, Pere MD^‖; Stevenson, Mario PhD^¶; Clotet, Bonaventura MD^,‡; Martinez-Picado, Javier PhD^,#; Blanco, Julià PhD^; the IntegRal Collaborative Group

Supplemental Author Material

Abstract

Background: Detection of episomal HIV cDNA has been associated with greater levels of CD8 and CD4 T-cell activation in HIV-1-infected highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-suppressed individuals. However, HAART intensification exclusively reduced CD8 T-cell activation.

Methods: We evaluated activation markers 12 weeks after raltegravir withdrawal in a previously described 48-week raltegravir intensification study. The subjects (n = 34) were subgrouped into 2-LTR⁺ (n = 12) or 2-LTR⁻ (n = 22) subgroups according to delectability of 2-LTR episomes during the intensification period.

Results: The initial differences in CD8 T-cell activation between subgroups were lost after intensification. Linear mixed models revealed significant reductions in CD8 T-cell activation in both 2-LTR⁻ and 2-LTR⁺ subgroups, suggesting that raltegravir impacts subjects irrespective of 2-LTR detection. Remarkably, a partial rebound in CD8 activation markers after raltegravir discontinuation was observed in the 2-LTR⁺ subgroup. This restored the differences between subgroups observed at study entry, particularly in terms of CD38 expression within CD8 memory T-cells. Conversely, CD4 T-cell activation remained unchanged in both subgroups during the study period, although an early and transient CD45RA⁻ CD4 T-cell redistribution from tissues was apparent.

Conclusions: CD8 T-cell activation undergoes reversible changes during raltegravir intensification and discontinuation in patients showing detectable 2-LTR circles. The general decrease in CD8 T-cell activation and a transient CD45RA⁻ CD4 T-cell redistribution in intensified individuals may reflect residual viral replication during apparently suppressive HAART.