Work

PD-1 blockade: A promising immunotherapy for HIV?

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: The progressive loss of effector function in the setting of chronic viral infections has been associated with the upregulation of programmed death 1 (PD-1), a negative regulator of activated T cells. In HIV infection, increased levels of PD-1 expression correlate with CD8(+) T cell exhaustion, which has been shown in vitro to be reversible with PD-1 blockade. Velu and colleagues recently reported the first in vivo study showing enhancement of a virus-specific immune response through PD-1 blockade using an anti-PD-1 antibody in an SIV-macaque model. Their results show an expansion of virus-specific, polyfunctional CD8(+) T cells. Anti-PD1 antagonists show promise as a novel immunotherapy for HIV. However, several issues including development of autoimmunity, regulatory T cells and multiple inhibitory receptors associated with CD8(+) T cell exhaustion should first be addressed to help ensure a successful response in chronic HIV infected patients.

Source: PubMed

Authors: Bernard J C Macatangay, Charles R Rinaldo

Institution: University of Pittsburgh

Language: English

Topic: HIV Research and Treatment

Subfield: Virology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Awards: University of Pittsburgh Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), Anti-HIV T Cell Responses During Antiviral Drug Therapy