HIV-specific IL-10-positive CD8+ T cells suppress cytolysis and IL-2 production by CD8+ T cells

J Immunol. 2007 Mar 1;178(5):3265-71. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.178.5.3265.

Abstract

IL-10 producing T cells inhibit Ag-specific CD8+ T cell responses and may play a role in the immune dysregulation observed in HIV infection. We have previously observed the presence of HIV-specific IL-10-positive CD8+ T cells in advanced HIV disease. In this study, we examined the suppressive function of the Gag-specific IL-10-positive CD8+ T cells. Removal of these IL-10-positive CD8+ T cells resulted in increased cytolysis and IL-2, but not IFN-gamma, production by both HIV- and human CMV-specific CD8+ T cells. In addition, these IL-10-positive CD8+ T cells mediated suppression through direct cell-cell contact, and had a distinct immunophenotypic profile compared with other regulatory T cells. We describe a new suppressor CD8+ T cell population in advanced HIV infection that may contribute to the immune dysfunction observed in HIV infection.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Female
  • Gene Products, gag / immunology
  • HIV Seropositivity / immunology*
  • HIV Seropositivity / pathology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interleukin-10 / immunology*
  • Interleukin-2 / immunology*
  • Male

Substances

  • Gene Products, gag
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-10
  • Interferon-gamma