INCREASED SERUM LEVELS OF GALECTIN-1 DURING HIV INFECTION PROMOTES VIRAL RELEASE AND LATENCY REACTIVATION.

PEREYRA GERBER, PEHUEN; ROMANIUK, ALBERTINA; MARIÑO, KARINA VALERIA; OSTROWSKI, MATÍAS; RUBIONE, JULIA; PEREZ, PAULA SOLEDAD; DUETTE, GABRIEL; SALIDO, JIMENA; ADAMCZYK, ALAN; CEBALLOS, ANA; SUED, OMAR; RABINOVICH, GABRIEL A.

Mar del Plata

Congreso; SAIC/SAI/SAFIS 2018; 2018

SAIC/SAI/SAFIS

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is an endogenous lectin with important immunomodulatory functions acting on both innate and adaptive immune cells. HIV-1 infects manly CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophages causing CD4+ T cell depletion, ultimately leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Implementation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) reduces viral replication and CD4+ T cell loss, thus significantly improving the prognosis of HIV-infected individuals. Nevertheless, chronic inflammation and the maintenance of latently infected cells-viral reservoir- represent two major barriers to achieve the cure of HIV infection. Herein, we analyzed the role of Galectin-1 in HIV-1 replication and latency reactivation. We show that in vitro infection of CD4+ T cells induces the expression and secretion of Gal-1. In addition, we demonstrate that HIV-infected patients have increased serum levels of Gal-1 as compared to healthy donors (p