Impact of highly active antiretroviral treatment on expression of HIV-1 coreceptors and ligand levels in peripheral blood from HIV-1 infected patients in China

Abstract

Objective: Coreceptors are important for HIV-1 entry into target cells and disease progression. The impact of HIV-1 and highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) on coreceptor expression has been little studied. Methods: Expression of C-C chemokine receptor (CCR) 5 and C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR) 4 on CD4þ and CD8 þ T cells was compared in HIV-1-infected individuals who had/had not received HAART, and in healthy controls. Relationships between coreceptors and their chemokine ligands were studied. Results: This study included 23 controls and 88 HIV-1-infected individuals, 35 of whom were HAART naïve. Percentages of CCR5 and CXCR4þ CD8 þ T cells were higher, and CXCR4þ CD4 þ T cells were lower, in patients than in controls. Patients receiving HAART showed a higher percentage of CCR5 expression on CD4 þ T cells compared with HAART-naïve patients. HIVinfected individuals had significantly increased levels of peripheral ligands for coreceptors, compared with controls; levels were significantly higher in those receiving HAART compared with the HAART-naïve. Conclusions: HIV-1 infection increases coreceptor expression on T cells; HAART increases CCR5 expression further and decreases CXCR4 expression, reversing the switch from CCR5 to CXCR4, which was significant for CD4 þ T.