Functionally Competent Antigen-Specific$CD127^{hi}$Memory CD8⁺ T Cells Are Preserved Only in HIV-Infected Individuals Receiving Early Treatment

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 2007-01, Vol.195 (1), p.108-117
• Main Authors: Sabbaj, Steffanie, Heath, Sonya L., Bansal, Anju, Vohra, Sameera, Kilby, J. Michael, Zajac, Allan J., Goepfert, Paul A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antigens; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - physiology; Cytokines; Epitopes; HIV; HIV 1; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - immunology; HIV/AIDS; Humans; Immunologic Memory; Infections; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit - biosynthesis; Memory; T lymphocytes; Viral load; Volunteerism
• ISSN: 0022-1899
• DOI: 10.1086/509510

The importance of functional CD4⁺ T cells and antigen control in the maintenance of CD127 expression on antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells is poorly understood in humans. We compared CD127 expression on antigenspecific $CD8^{+}$ T cells in 4 groups of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. This analysis demonstrated that HIV-specific $CD8^{+}CD127^{hi}$ T cells are maintained as long-lived memory cells only in HIVinfected individuals treated early with antiretroviral therapy (ART). This population of $CD127^{hi}$ T cells fluctuates with viral load (VL) such that the antigen-specific T cell pool oscillates from a $CD127^{hi}$ memory to a $CD127^{10}$ effector phenotype depending on the levels of plasma VL. In individuals with chronic infection, the $CD127^{hi}$ pool diminishes or is lost with time despite virologic control while receiving ART. These studies show that functionally competent subsets of antigen-specific memory CD8⁺ T cells in HIV-infected individuals are maintained but only if control of viremia is attained early during the course of infection.