AUTHOR=Zou Shi , Xiang Yanni , Guo Wei , Zhu Qi , Wu Songjie , Tan Yuting , Yan Yajun , Shen Ling , Feng Yong , Liang Ke 

TITLE=Phenotype and function of peripheral blood γδ T cells in HIV infection with tuberculosis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.1071880

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.1071880

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Although γδ T cells play an essential role in immunity against <italic>Human Immunodeficiency Virus</italic> (HIV) or <italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</italic> (MTB), they are poorly described in HIV infection with tuberculosis (TB).</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The phenotypic and functional properties of peripheral blood γδ T cells in patients with HIV/TB co-infection were analyzed compared to healthy controls and patients with HIV mono-infection or TB by direct intracellular cytokine staining (ICS).</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The percentage of Vδ<sub>1</sub> subset in HIV/TB group was significantly higher than that in TB group, while the decreased frequency of the Vδ<sub>2</sub> and Vγ<sub>2</sub>Vδ<sub>2</sub> subsets were observed in HIV/TB group than in TB group. The percentage of CD4<sup>+</sup>CD8<sup>-</sup> Vδ<sub>2</sub> subset in HIV/TB group was markedly lower than in TB group. However, the percentage of CD4<sup>+</sup>CD8<sup>+</sup> Vδ<sub>2</sub> subset in HIV/TB group was markedly higher than HIV group or TB group. A lower percentage TNF-α and a higher percentage of IL-17A of Vδ<sub>2</sub> subset were observed in HIV/TB group than that in HIV mono-infection. The percentage of perforin-producing Vδ<sub>2</sub> subset was significantly lower in HIV/TB group than that in HIV group and TB group.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Our data suggested that HIV/TB co-infection altered the balance of γδ T cell subsets. The influence of HIV/TB co-infection on the function of γδ T cells to produce cytokines was complicated, which will shed light on further investigations on the mechanisms of the immune response against HIV and/or MTB infection.</p></sec>