Work

Effect of Schistosoma mansoni Infection on Innate and HIV-1-Specific T-Cell Immune Responses in HIV-1-Infected Ugandan Fisher Folk

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: In Uganda, fisher folk have HIV prevalence rates, about four times higher than the national average, and are often coinfected with Schistosoma mansoni. We hypothesized that innate immune responses and HIV-specific Th1 immune responses might be downmodulated in HIV/S. mansoni-coinfected individuals compared with HIV+/S. mansoni-negative individuals. We stimulated whole blood with innate receptor agonists and analyzed supernatant cytokines by Luminex. We evaluated HIV-specific responses by intracellular cytokine staining for IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α. We found that the plasma viral load and CD4 count were similar between the HIV+SM+ and HIV+SM- individuals. In addition, the TNF-α response to the imidazoquinoline compound CL097 and β-1, 3-glucan (curdlan), was significantly higher in HIV/S. mansoni-coinfected individuals compared with HIV only-infected individuals. The frequency of HIV-specific IFN-γ+IL-2-TNF-α- CD8 T cells and IFN-γ+IL-2-TNF-α+ CD4 T cells was significantly higher in HIV/S. mansoni-coinfected individuals compared with HIV only-infected individuals. These findings do not support the hypothesis that S. mansoni downmodulates innate or HIV-specific Th1 responses in HIV/S. mansoni-coinfected individuals.

Source: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses

DOI: 10.1089/aid.2015.0274