Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

<h4>Background</h4>Natural killer (NK) cells are an important type of effector cell in the innate immune response, and also have a role in regulation of the adaptive immune response. Several studies have indicated that NK cells may influence CD4+ T cells during HIV infection.<h4>Methods</h4>In total, 51 HIV-infected individuals and 15 healthy controls participated in this study. We performed the flow cytometry assays and real-time PCR for the phenotypic analysis and the functional assays of NK cell-mediated deletion of CD4+ T cells, phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB/p65) and the intervention of metformin.<h4>Results</h4>Here we detected high CD54 expression on CD4+ T cells in HIV-infected individuals, and demonstrate that upregulated CD54 is associated with disease progression in individuals infected with HIV. We also show that CD54 expression leads to the deletion of CD4+ T cells by NK cells in vitro, and that this is modulated by NF-κB/p65 signaling. Further, we demonstrate that metformin can suppress CD54 expression on CD4+ T cells by inhibiting NF-κB/p65 phosphorylation.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our data suggest that further studies to evaluate the potential role of metformin as adjunctive therapy to reconstitute immune function in HIV-infected individuals are warranted.

Original publication

DOI

10.1093/infdis/jiz413

Type

Journal article

Journal

The Journal of infectious diseases

Publication Date

11/2019

Volume

220

Pages

1892 - 1903

Addresses

NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University), Department of Laboratory Medicine.

Keywords

Killer Cells, Natural, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Humans, HIV-1, HIV Infections, Disease Progression, Metformin, NF-kappa B, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, Viral Load, Immunophenotyping, Lymphocyte Activation, Cell Communication, Cytotoxicity, Immunologic, Gene Expression, Phosphorylation, Adult, Female, Male, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Young Adult