Mechanisms underlying γδ T-cell subset perturbations in SIV-infected Asian rhesus macaques

Blood. 2010 Nov 18;116(20):4148-57. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-05-283549. Epub 2010 Jul 26.

Abstract

T cells that express the γδ T-cell receptor, which recognize microbial or stress-induced antigens, represent a minority of blood T cells but constitute a major proportion of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the gastrointestinal mucosa. As microbial products have been shown to translocate from the gastrointestinal tract into circulation in chronically HIV/Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected individuals, we conducted a study of Vδ1 and Vδ2 T-cell frequency, phenotype, and function in blood, spleen, lymph nodes, gastrointestinal mucosa, and bronchoalveolar lavage of uninfected and chronically SIVsmE543-infected rhesus macaques (RMs). We found: (1) SIV-associated inversion of Vδ1/Vδ2 T cells occurs in blood and in several tissues; (2) γδ T cells are not infected by SIV in vivo; (3) the Vδ1/Vδ2 inversion involves expansion of Vδ1 T cells; (4) expanded Vδ1 T cells are phenotypically and functionally different from Vδ1 T cells from uninfected RMs; and (5) the stimulus underlying expansion of Vδ1 T cells appears to be microbial translocation. These data highlight the importance of microbial translocation-induced immune activation in chronically infected individuals and provide new insights into an immune dysregulation phenomenon that is a hallmark of HIV/SIV infection. These findings may lead to novel therapeutic interventions that improve the immune responses against microbial antigens, and thus, decrease microbial translocation-induced immune activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asia
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • Ionomycin / pharmacology
  • Lymphocyte Depletion
  • Macaca mulatta / immunology*
  • Macaca mulatta / virology*
  • Organ Specificity
  • Phenotype
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / immunology*
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / immunology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / microbiology
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / virology*
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / pharmacology

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
  • Ionomycin
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate