Polydonal proliferation and apoptosis of CCR5+ T lymphocytes during primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: Regulation by interleukin (Il)-2, Il-15, and Bcl-2

Abstract

We measured apoptosis of subsets of T lymphocytes by single-cell analysis of caspase activation, to confirm high turnover of chemokine receptor CCR5+ T cells in subjects with acute, primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection (PHI). High levels of spontaneous apoptosis, consisting mainly of CD8+ T lymphocytes, were closely associated with increases in the activation markers Ki-67, CD38, and the HIV coreceptor CCR5 and with decreases in Bcl-2 and the interleukin (IL)-7 receptor at the single-cell level. Increased expression of Ki-67 and CCR5 ex vivo, as well as increased apoptosis, was seen in all T cell receptor β-chain variable region (TCRBV) subfamilies studied. The addition of IL-2 or IL-15, but not IL-7, significantly inhibited caspase activation, increased Bcl-2 expression, and rapidly initiated proliferation in vitro of CD8+ T cells expressing CCR5 and multiple TCRBV subfamilies. Furthermore, IL-15 receptor α-chain messenger RNA levels were increased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells during PHI. These results suggest that CCR5+Ki-67+Bcl-2dim activated T cells generated during PHI traffic via blood to tissue sites, where the cells may survive and/or further proliferate under the local influence of IL-2 or IL-15. Understanding cytokine effects on CCR5+ T cells will be important in understanding chronic HIV-1 replication and pathogenesis.