Antiviral activity correlates with the phenotype and polyfunctionality of in vitro stimulated CD8 T-cells from HIV+ subjects who initiated cART at different time points after acute infection

LAUFER, NATALIA; GABRIELA TURK; MARÍA MAGDALENA GHERARDI; HORACIO SALOMÓN; CÉSAR TRIFONE; MARÍA PAULA CARUSO; MARÍA JULIA RUIZ; YANINA GHIGLIONE; OMAR SUED; MARÍA INÉS FIGUEROA; JIMENA SALIDO

Amsterdam

Conferencia; 22nd International AIDS Conference; 2018

International AIDS Society

HIV eradication will depend on the capacity (either natural or artificially modulated) of CD8+ T-cells (CD8TCs) to eliminate cells that remain infected despite effective cART. AIM: To assess whether HIV-specific CD8TC from HIV+ subjects under effective cART, but with different timing of cART initiation after acute infection, were able to perform antiviral activity after in vitro expansion. PBMCs from 26 HIV+ subjects on cART for 1 year were obtained. Twelve initiated treatment during chronic infection (Delayed Treatment, DT) and 14 within four months post-infection (Early Treatment, ET). PBMCs were stimulated with peptides pools spanning Nef and Gag proteins during 14 days. CD8TC phenotype (expression of CD45RO, CCR7, CD95 and PD1) and function (CD107a/b, IFN-, IL-2, MIP-1 and TNF-) were analyzed by flow cytometry post-expansion. Direct and indirect antiviral activity of expanded CD8TC was evaluated by VITAL Assay (VA) and Viral Inhibition Assay (VIA), respectively. Data was analyzed using non-parametric statistics.HIV-specific CD8TCs showed an even distribution of mono-, bi-, tri-, tetra- and pentafunctional cells in DT. Contrary, ET showed a higher proportion of monofunctional cells. Bulk and HIV-specific CD8TC from ET showed a preservation of CD8TCSCM and CD8TCCM subsets while DT showed a fully-differentiated profile (p