Citation
- Authors: Yu T. et al.
- Year: 2019
- Journal: Sci Rep 9 18829
- Applications: in vitro / miRNA / INTERFERin
- Cell types:
- Name: Human CD8+T lymphocytes
- Name: Human PBMCs
Abstract
Functional exhaustion of immune cells is a defining characteristic of HIV-1 chronic infections, exhibiting dysregulation of cellular immune responses and expression of co-inhibitory receptors. Although the molecular mechanisms controlling immune-cell exhaustion retains largely unknown, immune checkpoint blockade strategy has shown inspiring potential to reinvigorate T cell functions in chronic infections. In this study, we investigated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exhaustion markers from 109 chronic HIV-1-infected patients and found they correlated positively with microRNA-146a, which was inversely correlated with CD4+ T cell count. Intriguingly, ex vivo neutralization of miR-146a in PBMCs from chronic HIV-1 infection exhibited an elevated antiviral cytokines production as well as the expression of GZMB and perforin, while simultaneously, decreased the inhibitory receptors expression such as PD-1, CTLA-4, TIM-3 and LAG-3. These results highlight the importance of miR-146a to HIV-1 induced immune cell exhaustion, and uncover a novel layer of HIV/AIDS pathogenesis and provide potential targets for improved immune intervention.