Follicular Regulatory T Cells Are Highly Permissive to R5-Tropic HIV-1
- 1 September 2017
- journal article
- Published by American Society for Microbiology in Journal of Virology
- Vol. 91 (17), e00430-17
- https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00430-17
Abstract
Follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells are a subset of CD4+ T cells in secondary lymphoid follicles. TFR cells were previously included in the follicular helper T (TFH) cell subset, which consists of cells that are highly permissive to HIV-1. The permissivity of TFR cells to HIV-1 is unknown. We find that TFR cells are more permissive than TFH cells to R5-tropic HIV-1 ex vivo. TFR cells expressed more CCR5 and CD4 and supported higher frequencies of viral fusion. Differences in Ki67 expression correlated with HIV-1 replication. Inhibiting cellular proliferation reduced Ki67 expression and HIV-1 replication. Lymph node cells from untreated HIV-infected individuals revealed that TFR cells harbored the highest concentrations of HIV-1 RNA and highest levels of Ki67 expression. These data demonstrate that TFR cells are highly permissive to R5-tropic HIV-1 both ex vivo and in vivo. This is likely related to elevated CCR5 levels combined with a heightened proliferative state and suggests that TFR cells contribute to persistent R5-tropic HIV-1 replication in vivo.Funding Information
- HHS | National Institutes of Health (R01 AI096966)
- HHS | National Institutes of Health (T32 AI007405)
- HHS | National Institutes of Health (T32AI007447-22)
- CU | University of Colorado Denver (Early Career Scholar Program)
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