Th17 and Treg at early HIV infecon influence disease progression and HIV-specific CD8+ responses

FALIVENE J; GHIGLIONE YANINA; LAUFER NATALIA; SOCIAS M EUGENIA; FIGUEROA ME; HOLGADO MP; RUIZ MJ; MAETO C; GIAVEDONNI L; CAHN P; SALOMON H; SUED O; TURK G; GHERARDI MM

Congreso; LXII Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología SAI-SAIC 2014; 2014

SAI-SAIC

Th17 and Treg are CD4+ T-cell subsets that differenate from a common progenitor and their pathways are reciprocally modulated. These cells play crical roles in the generaon of protecve inflammatory mucosal responses against extracellular pathogens and suppression of T-cells that limit/contain the immune response, respecvely. Recent publicaons highlight the importance of Th17, Treg and their balance in HIV-1 infecon. At advanced stages of the disease, a selec- ve depleon of Th17 cells in both blood and gastrointesnal lymphoid ssues, has been observed and associated with progression. In contrast, a Treg expansion has been demonstrated and could be theorecally either beneficial, by suppressing generalized T-cell acvaon, or detrimental, by weakening HIV-specific responses and thus contribung to viral persistence. Despite evidences of an imbalance between these sub-populaons during HIV infecon, an evaluaon of the possible correlaons between Th17 subset and Th17/Treg rao and the specific anviral adapve T-cell responses is currently lacking. Our group has previously reported that, during primary HIV infecon (PHI), immunodominance of Gag-specific cells associated with CD4 count preservaon, in consonance with Gag immunodominance in elite and viremic controllers. Importantly, Gag immunodominance was also associated with CD8+ T-cells with higher capacity to degranulate, secrete IFN-γ and mediate viral inhibitory acvity in vitro, highlighng the impact that development of a proper CD8+ T-cell response has in the natural control of disease progression. In this context, and in light of the evidence poinng to the relevance of Th17 and Treg subsets during HIV infecon and AIDS progression. We hypothesized that preservaon of the Th17 subset and Th17/Treg rao are determinant immune factors that could impact the HIV-specific CD8+ response and disease progression.