Elevated Natural Killer Cell Activity Despite Altered Functional and Phenotypic Profile in Ugandans With HIV-1 Clade A or Clade D Infection
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Date
2009
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells most likely
contribute toward limiting HIV-1 replication, and investigation into
their function throughout the course of infection is therefore
important. We here aimed to determine the state of the NK cell
compartment in Ugandans with untreated HIV-1 clade A or D
infection in comparison with matched uninfected controls.
Methods and Results: The function and phenotype of NK cells
were investigated using 10-color flow cytometry. Surprisingly, NK
cells displayed elevated production of interferon-g and macrophage
inflammatory protein 1b, as well as CD107a degranulation in
infected subjects. This included unexpected levels of degranulation in
the CD56bright subset of NK cells and high levels of macrophage
inflammatory protein 1b in CD56negative NK cells. HIV-1 infection
was associated with reduced expression of KIR2DL1, NKG2A,
CD161, and NKp30 in CD56dim and CD56negative NK cells,
whereas lowered CD161 expression was the only alteration in the
CD56bright subset. Interestingly, low CD4 counts were associated
with increased levels of interferon-g and degranulation in
CD56bright NK cells, as well as increased NKp44 expression in
the CD56dim cells. NK cells in HIV-1–infected Ugandans display
elevated activity, despite an altered functional and phenotypic profile.
Furthermore, specific alterations in the CD56bright and CD56dim
subsets occur in patients with severe CD4 loss.
Description
Keywords
CD4, HIV-1, NK cells, Viral infections
Citation
Eller, M. A., Eller, L. A., Ouma, B. J., Thelian, D., Gonzalez, V. D., Guwatudde, D., ... & Sandberg, J. K. (2009). Elevated natural killer cell activity despite altered functional and phenotypic profile in Ugandans with HIV-1 clade A or clade D infection. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 51(4), 380-389.