Th1-Biased Hepatitis C Virus-Specific Follicular T Helper-Like Cells Effectively Support B Cells After Antiviral Therapy

Circulating Th1-biased follicular T helper (cTfh1) cells have been associated with antibody responses to viral infection and after vaccination but their B cell helper functionality is less understood. After viral elimination, Tfh1 cells are the dominant subset within circulating Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-specific CD4 T cells, but their functional capacity is currently unknown. To address this important point, we established a clone-based system to evaluate CD4 T cell functionality in vitro to overcome experimental limitations associated with their low frequencies. Specifically, we analyzed the transcription factor expression, cytokine secretion and B cell help in co-culture assays of HCV- (n = 18) and influenza-specific CD4 T cell clones (n = 5) in comparison to Tfh (n = 26) and Th1 clones (n = 15) with unknown antigen-specificity derived from healthy donors (n = 4) or direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-treated patients (n = 5). The transcription factor expression and cytokine secretion patterns of HCV-specific CD4 T cell clones indicated a Tfh1 phenotype, with expression of T-bet and Bcl6 and production of IFN-γ and IL-21. Their B helper capacity was superior compared to influenza-specific or Tfh and Th1 clones. Moreover, since Tfh cells are enriched in the IFN-rich milieu of the HCV-infected liver, we investigated the impact of IFN exposure on Tfh phenotype and function. Type I IFN exposure was able to introduce similar phenotypic and functional characteristics in the Tfh cell population within PBMCs or Tfh clones in vitro in line with our finding that Tfh cells are elevated in HCV-infected patients shortly after initiation of IFN-α therapy. Collectively, we were able to functionally characterize HCV-specific CD4 T cells in vitro and not only confirmed a Tfh1 phenotype but observed superior Tfh functionality despite their Th1 bias. Furthermore, our results suggest that chronic type I IFN exposure supports the enrichment of highly functional HCV-specific Tfh-like cells during HCV infection. Thus, HCV-specific Tfh-like cells after DAA therapy may be a promising target for future vaccination design aiming to introduce a neutralizing antibody response.

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HIV inhibits CD4+ T-cell proliferation by inducing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2006-07-034785 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 109 (8) ◽

pp. 3351-3359 ◽

Cited By ~ 201

Author(s):

Adriano Boasso ◽

Jean-Philippe Herbeuval ◽

Andrew W. Hardy ◽

Stephanie A. Anderson ◽

Matthew J. Dolan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

Dendritic Cells ◽

T Cell ◽

Functional Impairment ◽

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells ◽

Cd4 T Cell ◽

T Cell Proliferation ◽

Type I ◽

Indoleamine 2,3 Dioxygenase

AbstractInfection with the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV) results in acute and progressive numeric loss of CD4+ T-helper cells and functional impairment of T-cell responses. The mechanistic basis of the functional impairment of the surviving cells is not clear. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an immunosuppressive enzyme that inhibits T-cell proliferation by catabolizing the essential amino acid tryptophan (Trp) into the kynurenine (kyn) pathway. Here, we show that IDO mRNA expression is elevated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HIV+ patients compared with uninfected healthy controls (HCs), and that in vitro inhibition of IDO with the competitive blocker 1-methyl tryptophan (1-mT) results in increased CD4+ T-cell proliferative response in PBMCs from HIV-infected patients. We developed an in vitro model in which exposure of PBMCs from HCs to either infectious or noninfectious, R5- or X4-tropic HIV induced IDO in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). HIV-induced IDO was not inhibited by blocking antibodies against interferon type I or type II, which, however, induced IDO in pDCs when added to PBMC cultures. Blockade of gp120/CD4 interactions with anti-CD4 Ab inhibited HIV-mediated IDO induction. Thus, induction of IDO in pDCs by HIV may contribute to the T-cell functional impairment observed in HIV/AIDS by a non–interferon-dependent mechanism.

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Age-related accumulation of oxidative DNA damage and alterations in levels of p16INK4a/CDKN2a, p21WAF1/CIP1/SDI1 and p27KIP1 in human CD4+ T cell clones in vitro

Mechanisms of Ageing and Development ◽

10.1016/s0047-6374(01)00254-8 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 122 (11) ◽

pp. 1151-1167 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Paul Hyland ◽

Christopher Barnett ◽

Graham Pawelec ◽

Yvonne Barnett

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

T Cell ◽

Oxidative Dna Damage ◽

Cd4 T Cell ◽

T Cell Clones ◽

Age Related ◽

Cell Clones

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African Green Monkey TRIM5α Restriction in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific Rhesus Macaque Effector CD4 T Cells Enhances Their Survival and Antiviral Function

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.03598-14 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 89 (8) ◽

pp. 4449-4456 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sumiti Jain ◽

Matthew T. Trivett ◽

Victor I. Ayala ◽

Claes Ohlen ◽

David E. Ott

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

T Cell ◽

Rhesus Macaque ◽

Cd4 T Cells ◽

Cd4 T Cell ◽

T Cell Clones ◽

Cell Clones ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Antiviral Function

ABSTRACTThe expression of xenogeneic TRIM5α proteins can restrict infection in various retrovirus/host cell pairings. Previously, we have shown that African green monkey TRIM5α (AgmTRIM5α) potently restricts both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus mac239 (SIVmac239) replication in a transformed human T-cell line (L. V. Coren, et al., Retrovirology 12:11, 2015,http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12977-015-0137-9). To assess AgmTRIM5α restriction in primary cells, we transduced AgmTRIM5α into primary rhesus macaque CD4 T cells and infected them with SIVmac239. Experiments with T-cell clones revealed that AgmTRIM5α could reproducibly restrict SIVmac239replication, and that this restriction synergizes with an intrinsic resistance to infection present in some CD4 T-cell clones. AgmTRIM5α transduction of virus-specific CD4 T-cell clones increased and prolonged their ability to suppress SIV spread in CD4 target cells. This increased antiviral function was strongly linked to decreased viral replication in the AgmTRIM5α-expressing effectors, consistent with restriction preventing the virus-induced cytopathogenicity that disables effector function. Taken together, our data show that AgmTRIM5α restriction, although not absolute, reduces SIV replication in primary rhesus CD4 T cells which, in turn, increases their antiviral function. These results support priorin vivodata indicating that the contribution of virus-specific CD4 T-cell effectors to viral control is limited due to infection.IMPORTANCEThe potential of effector CD4 T cells to immunologically modulate SIV/HIV infection likely is limited by their susceptibility to infection and subsequent inactivation or elimination. Here, we show that AgmTRIM5α expression inhibits SIV spread in primary effector CD4 T cellsin vitro. Importantly, protection of effector CD4 T cells by AgmTRIM5α markedly enhanced their antiviral function by delaying SIV infection, thereby extending their viability despite the presence of virus. Ourin vitrodata support priorin vivoHIV-1 studies suggesting that the antiviral CD4 effector response is impaired due to infection and subsequent cytopathogenicity. The ability of AgmTRIM5α expression to restrict SIV infection in primary rhesus effector CD4 T cells now opens an opportunity to use the SIV/rhesus macaque model to further elucidate the potential and scope of anti-AIDS virus effector CD4 T-cell function.

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