Abstract
Studying SIV infection of natural host monkey species, such as sooty mangabeys, has provided insights into the immune changes associated with these nonprogressive infections. Mangabeys maintain immune health despite high viremia or the dramatic CD4 T cell depletion that can occur following multitropic SIV infection. Here we evaluate double-negative (DN)(CD3+CD4−CD8−) T cells that are resistant to SIV infection due to a lack of CD4 surface expression, for their potential to fulfill a role as helper T cells. We first determined that DN T cells are polyclonal and predominantly exhibit an effector memory phenotype (CD95+CD62L−). Microarray analysis of TCR (anti-CD3/CD28) stimulated DN T cells indicated that these cells are multifunctional and upregulate genes with marked similarity to CD4 T cells, such as immune genes associated with Th1 (IFNγ), Th2 (IL4, IL5, IL13, CD40L), Th17 (IL17, IL22) and TFH (IL21, ICOS, IL6) function, chemokines such as CXCL9 and CXCL10 and transcription factors known to be actively regulated in CD4 T cells. Multifunctional T-helper cell responses were maintained in DN T cells from uninfected and SIV infected mangabeys and persisted in mangabeys exhibiting SIV mediated CD4 loss. Interestingly, TCR stimulation of DN T cells from SIV infected mangabeys results in a decreased upregulation of IFNγ and increased IL5 and IL13 expression compared to uninfected mangabeys. Evaluation of proliferative capacity of DN T cells in vivo (BrDU labeling) indicated that these cells maintain their ability to proliferate despite SIV infection, and express the homeostatic cytokine receptors CD25 (IL2 receptor) and CD127 (IL7 receptor). This study identifies the potential for a CD4-negative T cell subset that is refractory to SIV infection to perform T-helper functions in mangabeys and suggests that immune therapeutics designed to increase DN T cell function during HIV infection may have beneficial effects for the host immune system.
Highlights
While simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of Asian macaques generally results in progression to simian AIDS, SIV infection of African monkey species is typically associated with a nonpathogenic outcome
SIV infection of sooty mangabeys is generally characterized by maintained CD4 T cell levels and a lack of disease progression despite active virus replication
We have previously shown that dramatic loss of CD4 T cells can occur during SIV infection of mangabeys
Summary
While simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of Asian macaques generally results in progression to simian AIDS, SIV infection of African monkey species is typically associated with a nonpathogenic outcome. These African monkeys, including sooty mangabeys, are found naturally infected with SIV and are thought to have evolved with their species-specific viruses [1]. A number of studies have established that plasma viral levels are similar between natural SIV hosts and pathogenic infections observed in Rhesus macaques and HIV infected patients [2,3,4,5,6]. How the natural hosts are able to suppress activation following the acute infection phase and why the natural hosts do not progress to simian AIDS despite high levels of viral replication are current avenues of research to understand SIV/ HIV infection and host response
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