Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is characterized by high fungal burden and limited leukocyte trafficking to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The immunopathogenesis of CM immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) after initiation of antiretroviral therapy at the site of infection is poorly understood. Methods We characterized the lineage and activation status of mononuclear cells in blood and CSF of HIV-infected patients with noncryptococcal meningitis (NCM) (n = 10), those with CM at day 0 (n = 40) or day 14 (n = 21) of antifungal therapy, and those with CM-IRIS (n = 10). Results At diagnosis, highly activated CD8+ T cells predominated in CSF in both CM and NCM. CM-IRIS was associated with an increasing frequency of CSF CD4+ T cells (increased from 2.2% to 23%; P = .06), a shift in monocyte phenotype from classic to an intermediate/proinflammatory, and increased programmed death ligand 1 expression on natural killer cells (increased from 11.9% to 61.6%, P = .03). CSF cellular responses were distinct from responses in peripheral blood. Conclusions After CM, T cells in CSF tend to evolve with the development of IRIS, with increasing proportions of activated CD4+ T cells, migration of intermediate monocytes to the CSF, and declining fungal burden. These changes provide insight into IRIS pathogenesis and could be exploited to more effectively treat CM and prevent CM-IRIS.

HIV-1 disease progression is associated with persistent immune activation. However, the nature of this association is incompletely understood. Here, we investigated immune activation in the CD4 T cell compartment of chronically HIV-1 infected individuals from Rakai, Uganda. Levels of CD4 T cell activation, assessed as co-expression of PD-1, CD38 and HLA-DR, correlated directly to viral load and inversely to CD4 count. Deeper characterization of these cells indicated an effector memory phenotype with relatively frequent expression of Ki67 despite their PD-1 expression, and levels of these cells were inversely associated with FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. We therefore use the term deregulated effector memory (DEM) cells to describe them. CD4 T cells with a DEM phenotype could be generated by antigen stimulation of recall responses in vitro. Responses against HIV-1 and CMV antigens were enriched among the DEM CD4 T cells in patients, and the diverse Vβ repertoire of DEM CD4 T cells suggested they include diverse antigen-specificities. Furthermore, the levels of DEM CD4 T cells correlated directly to soluble CD14 (sCD14) and IL-6, markers of innate immune activation, in plasma. The size of the activated DEM CD4 T cell subset was predictive of the rate of disease progression, whereas IL-6 was only weakly predictive and sCD14 was not predictive. Taken together, these results are consistent with a model where systemic innate immune activation and chronic antigen stimulation of adaptive T cell responses both play important roles in driving pathological CD4 T cell immune activation in HIV-1 disease.

Key PointsChronic HIV-1 is associated with increased levels of FcγRIIIA+ CD8 T cells.FcγRIIIA+ CD8 T cells display an innate transcriptomic profile akin to NK cells.ADCC is mediated by FcγRIIIA+ CD8 T cells at levels comparable with NK cells.

Objective:Of the predominant HIV-1 subtypes in Uganda, subtype D infection confers a worse prognosis. HIV-1 infection causes perturbations to natural killer (NK) cells, and yet these cells can exert immune pressure on the virus and influence clinical outcome. Here, we studied NK cell activation and function in Ugandans with chronic untreated HIV-1 subtype D infection in comparison to uninfected community matched controls.Methods:Cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 42 HIV-infected individuals and 28 HIV-negative controls were analysed using eight-colour flow cytometry. NK cell surface expression of CD16, CD56, CD57, HLA-DR and NKG2A were used to investigate activation, maturation and differentiation status. NK cell function was evaluated by measuring interferon-gamma (IFNγ) production in response to K562 cells, or interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18.Results:CD56dim NK cells from HIV-infected individuals produced less IFNγ in response to IL-12 and IL-18 than did CD56dim NK cells from uninfected controls. Infected individuals had lower levels of CD56dim NK cells coexpressing the differentiation markers NKG2A and CD57 than controls. In addition, their NKG2A+CD57+ CD56dim NK cells displayed elevated activation levels as assessed by HLA-DR expression. Cytokine-induced IFNγ production correlated directly with coexpression of CD57 and NKG2A on CD56dim NK cells.Conclusion:HIV-1 subtype D infection is associated with impaired NK cell responsiveness to cytokines, decline of the NKG2A+CD57+ CD56dim NK cell subset, as well as elevated activation in this subset. These alterations within the NK cell compartment may contribute to immunopathogenesis of HIV-1 subtype D infection in Ugandans.