Blood extracellular vesicles (BEVs) carry bioactive cargo (proteins, genetic materials, lipids, licit, and illicit drugs) that regulate diverse functions in target cells. The cannabinoid drug delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is FDA approved for the treatment of anorexia and weight loss in people living with HIV. However, the effect of THC on BEV characteristics in the setting of HIV/SIV infection needs to be determined. Here, we used the SIV-infected rhesus macaque model of AIDS to evaluate the longitudinal effects of THC (THC/SIV) or vehicle (VEH/SIV) treatment in HIV/SIV infection on the properties of BEVs. While BEV concentrations increased longitudinally (pre-SIV (0), 30, and 150 days post-SIV infection (DPI)) in VEH/SIV macaques, the opposite trend was observed with THC/SIV macaques. SIV infection altered BEV membrane properties and cargo composition late in infection, since i) the electrostatic surface properties (zeta potential, ζ potential) showed that RM BEVs carried negative surface charge, but at 150 DPI, SIV infection significantly changed BEV ζ potential; ii) BEVs from the VEH/SIV group altered tetraspanin CD9 and CD81 levels compared to the THC/SIV group. Furthermore, VEH/SIV and THC/SIV BEVs mediated divergent changes in monocyte gene expression, morphometrics, signaling, and function. These include altered tetraspanin and integrin β1 expression; altered levels and distribution of polymerized actin, FAK/pY397 FAK, pERK1/2, cleaved caspase 3, proapoptotic Bid and truncated tBid; and altered adhesion of monocytes to collagen I. These data indicate that HIV/SIV infection and THC treatment result in the release of bioactive BEVs with potential to induce distinct structural adaptations and signaling cues to instruct divergent cellular responses to infection.
Keywords: SIV/HIV; delta-9-tetrahydrocannbinol (THC); extracellular vesicles (EVs).