HIV-1 DNA is Maintained in Antigen-Specific CD4+ T Cell Subsets in Patients on Long-Term Antiretroviral Therapy Regardless of Recurrent Antigen Exposure

William Hey-Nguyen, Michelle Bailey, Yin Xu, Kazuo Suzuki, David van Bockel, Robert Finlayson, Andrew Leigh Brown, Andrew Carr, David A Cooper, Anthony D Kelleher, Kersten K Koelsch, John Zaunders

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background

Memory CD4+ T cells (mCD4s) containing integrated HIV DNA are considered the main barrier to a cure for HIV infection. Here we analysed HIV DNA reservoirs in antigen-specific subsets of mCD4s to delineate the mechanisms by which HIV reservoirs persist during ART.

Methods/Results

HIV Gag, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Tetanus Toxoid (TT) specific mCD4s were isolated from peripheral blood samples obtained from 11 individual subjects, 2-11 years after commencing ART. Antigen-specific mCD4s were identified by the sensitive OX40 assay and purified by cell sorting. Total HIV DNA levels were quantified by real-time PCR, and clonal viral sequences generated from mCD4 subsets and pre-ART plasma samples. Quantitative results and sequence analysis were restricted to 5 and 3 study participants respectively, likely due to the low frequency of the antigen-specific mCD4s and relatively low HIV DNA proviral loads. Median HIV Gag-, CMV-, and TT-specific mCD4s were 0.61%, 2.46% and 0.78% of total mCD4s, and contained a median of 2.50, 2.38, and 2.55 log10 copies of HIV DNA per 106 cells respectively. HIV DNA sequences derived from antigen-specific mCD4s clustered with sequences derived from pre-ART plasma samples. There was a trend towards increased viral diversity in clonal viral sequences derived from CMV-specific relative to TT-specific mCD4s.

Discussion/Conclusions

Despite limitations, this study provides direct evidence that HIV reservoirs persist in memory CD4+ T cell subsets maintained by homeostatic proliferation (TT) and adds to growing evidence against viral evolution during ART. Similar future studies require techniques that sample diverse HIV reservoirs and with improved sensitivity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)112-120
Number of pages9
JournalAids research and human retroviruses
Volume35
Issue number1
Early online date4 Dec 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Jan 2019

Keywords

  • HIV reservoirs
  • Antigen-specific CD4 T cells
  • HIV DNA

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'HIV-1 DNA is Maintained in Antigen-Specific CD4+ T Cell Subsets in Patients on Long-Term Antiretroviral Therapy Regardless of Recurrent Antigen Exposure'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this