Co-infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis impairs HIV-Specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cell functionality

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 17;10(3):e0118654. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118654. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The ability of antigen-specific T cells to simultaneously produce multiple cytokines is thought to correlate with the functional capacity and efficacy of T cells. These 'polyfunctional' T cells have been associated with control of HIV. We aimed to assess the impact of co-infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) on HIV-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cell function. We assessed T cell functionality in 34 South African adults by investigating the IFN-y, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-21 and IL-17 cytokine secretion capacity, using polychromatic flow cytometry, following HIV Gag-specific stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We show that MTB is associated with lower HIV-specific T cell function in co-infected as compared to HIV mono-infected individuals. This decline in function was greatest in co-infection with active Tuberculosis (TB) compared to co-infection with latent MTB (LTBI), suggesting that mycobacterial load may contribute to this loss of function. The described impact of MTB on HIV-specific T cell function may be a mechanism for increased HIV disease progression in co-infected subjects as functionally impaired T cells may be less able to control HIV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Coinfection / immunology
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • HIV / immunology*
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • Latent Tuberculosis / complications
  • Latent Tuberculosis / immunology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology*
  • Tuberculosis / complications
  • Tuberculosis / immunology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukins
  • TNF protein, human
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interferon-gamma
  • interleukin-21