HIV-1感染者外周血T细胞miR-155水平与免疫激活和耗竭的关系研究

Study on the microRNA-155 levels in T cells of HIV-1 patients and the relationship with T cell activation and exhaustion

目的研究T细胞免疫应答调控因子miR-155在HIV-1感染者T细胞中的表达及其与T细胞免疫激活和耗竭的关系。方法收集71例抗病毒治疗有效和76例治疗无效的HIV-1感染者,分选CD4^(+)和CD8^(+)T细胞,提取RNA后定量PCR检测miR-155水平,流式细胞术检测T细胞激活和耗竭比例。结果两组HIV-1感染者T细胞miR-155水平、激活和耗竭比例均较健康对照显著升高(P <0.01),且治疗无效组的变化更为明显,显著高于治疗有效组(P <0.05)。相关性分析显示,HIV-1感染者T细胞miR-155与免疫激活和耗竭呈正相关(P <0.01)。结论 HIV-1感染者T细胞高表达miR-155,并与T细胞激活和耗竭正相关,可作为一种评估HIV-1感染者T细胞功能的生物学指标。

Objective To investigate the expression of miR-155,a regulator of T cell immune response,in HIV-1 patients′T cells,as well as its relationship to T cell immune activation and exhaustion.Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with 71 HIV-1 patients who responded well to antiretroviral therapy and 76 patients who did not.CD4^(+)and CD8^(+)T cells were isolated and RNA was extracted.MiR-155 levels were detected by quantitative PCR.Immune activation and exhaustion of T cells were detected by flow cytometry.Results The levels of miR-155 in T cells,and T cell activation and exhaustion in HIV-1 patients were increased compared with healthy controls(P<0.01),which were much higher in poor responders than in good responders(P<0.05).MiR-155 was found to be associated with immune activation and T cell exhaustion in HIV-1 patients(P<0.01).Conclusion Our findings suggest that miR-155 levels in T cells of HIV-1 patients are increased and associated with T cell activation and exhaustion,and that it could be employed as a biomarker to assess T cell activity in HIV-1 patients.