Some Aspects of CD8+ T-Cell Exhaustion Are Associated With Altered T-Cell Mitochondrial Features and ROS Content in HIV Infection

Background: Reversing or preventing T-cell exhaustion is an important treatment goal in the context of HIV disease; however, the mechanisms that regulate HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell exhaustion are incompletely understood. Since mitochondrial mass (MM), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) content are altered in exhausted CD8+ T cells in other settings, we hypothesized that similar lesions may arise in HIV infection. Methods: We sampled cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-uninfected (n = 10) and HIV-infected participants with varying levels and mechanisms of viral control: viremic (VL> 2000 copies/mL; n = 8) or aviremic (VL
Source: JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes - Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Basic Science Source Type: research