Jiang Yongjun, Cui Xiaojian, Cui Chen, Zhang Jian, Zhou Fangyuan, Zhang Zining, Fu Yajing, Xu Junjie, Chu Zhenxing, Liu Jing, Han Xiaoxu, Liao Christina, Wang Yanan, Cao Yaming, Shang Hong
Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of National Health and Family Planning Commission, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China ; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of National Health and Family Planning Commission, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, China ; Tianjin Children's Hospital, Tianjin 300074, China.
Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:863625. doi: 10.1155/2014/863625. Epub 2014 Mar 20.
CD3(+)CD56(+) NKT-like cells are one of the critical effectors in the immune response to viral infection and tumors, but the functional features of NKT-like cells in HIV infection have been rarely reported. In this study, we observed and described the state of NKT-like cell functions in primary HIV-infected individuals (PHIs), chronic HIV-infected individuals (CHIs), long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs), and HIV-negative controls (NCs). The results showed that the percentage of IFN-γ(+)CD3(+)CD56(+) NKT-like cells was notably higher in LTNPs compared with CHIs, and the proportion of CD3(+)CD56(+) NKT-like cells with dual function (IFN-γ(+)CD107a(+) NKT-like cells) in LTNPs was also much higher than in CHIs. Additionally, the percentages of IFN-γ(+)CD107a(+) NKT-like cells negatively correlated with viral load. Taken together, our data demonstrated that good functions of CD3(+)CD56(+) NKT-like cells in LTNPs likely occurred as a protective mechanism that slows down HIV disease progression.
CD3(+)CD56(+) 自然杀伤T细胞样细胞是病毒感染和肿瘤免疫反应中的关键效应细胞之一，但自然杀伤T细胞样细胞在HIV感染中的功能特性鲜有报道。在本研究中，我们观察并描述了原发性HIV感染者（PHIs）、慢性HIV感染者（CHIs）、长期不进展者（LTNPs）和HIV阴性对照者（NCs）中自然杀伤T细胞样细胞的功能状态。结果显示，与慢性HIV感染者相比，长期不进展者中IFN-γ(+)CD3(+)CD56(+) 自然杀伤T细胞样细胞的百分比显著更高，长期不进展者中具有双重功能的CD3(+)CD56(+) 自然杀伤T细胞样细胞（IFN-γ(+)CD107a(+) 自然杀伤T细胞样细胞）的比例也远高于慢性HIV感染者。此外，IFN-γ(+)CD107a(+) 自然杀伤T细胞样细胞的百分比与病毒载量呈负相关。综上所述，我们的数据表明，长期不进展者中CD3(+)CD56(+) 自然杀伤T细胞样细胞的良好功能可能是减缓HIV疾病进展的一种保护机制。
