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Expression of CD20 after viral reactivation renders HIV-reservoir cells susceptible to Rituximab.

ABSTRACT: The identification of exclusive markers to target HIV-reservoir cells will represent a significant advance in the search for therapies to cure HIV. Here, we identify the B lymphocyte antigen CD20 as a marker for HIV-infected cells in vitro and in vivo. The CD20 molecule is dimly expressed in a subpopulation of CD4-positive (CD4⁺) T lymphocytes from blood, with high levels of cell activation and heterogeneous memory phenotypes. In lymph node samples from infected patients, CD20 is present in productively HIV-infected cells, and ex vivo viral infection selectively upregulates the expression of CD20 during early infection. In samples from patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) this subpopulation is significantly enriched in HIV transcripts, and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody Rituximab induces cell killing, which reduces the pool of HIV-expressing cells when combined with latency reversal agents. We provide a tool for targeting this active HIV-reservoir after viral reactivation in patients while on ART.

SUBMITTER: Serra-Peinado C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6697690 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Expression of CD20 after viral reactivation renders HIV-reservoir cells susceptible to Rituximab.

Serra-Peinado Carla C Grau-Expósito Judith J Luque-Ballesteros Laura L Astorga-Gamaza Antonio A Navarro Jordi J Gallego-Rodriguez Jenny J Martin Mario M Curran Adrià A Burgos Joaquin J Ribera Esteban E Raventós Berta B Willekens Rein R Torrella Ariadna A Planas Bibiana B Badía Rosa R Garcia Felipe F Castellví Josep J Genescà Meritxell M Falcó Vicenç V Buzon Maria J MJ

Nature communications 20190816 1

The identification of exclusive markers to target HIV-reservoir cells will represent a significant advance in the search for therapies to cure HIV. Here, we identify the B lymphocyte antigen CD20 as a marker for HIV-infected cells in vitro and in vivo. The CD20 molecule is dimly expressed in a subpopulation of CD4-positive (CD4<sup>+</sup>) T lymphocytes from blood, with high levels of cell activation and heterogeneous memory phenotypes. In lymph node samples from infected patients, CD20 is pres ...[more]

PMID: 31420544

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Project description:UnlabelledUnderstanding how some HIV-infected cells resist the cytotoxicity of HIV replication is crucial to enabling HIV cure efforts. HIV killing of CD4 T cells that replicate HIV can involve HIV protease-mediated cleavage of procaspase 8 to generate a fragment (Casp8p41) that directly binds and activates the mitochondrial proapoptotic protein BAK. Here, we demonstrate that Casp8p41 also binds with nanomolar affinity to the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, which sequesters Casp8p41 and prevents apoptosis. Further, we show that central memory CD4 T cells (TCM) from HIV-infected individuals have heightened expression of BCL-2 relative to procaspase 8, possibly explaining the persistence of HIV-infected TCMdespite generation of Casp8p41. Consistent with this hypothesis, the selective BCL-2 antagonist venetoclax induced minimal killing of uninfected CD4 T cells but markedly increased the death of CD4 T cells and diminished cell-associated HIV DNA when CD4 T cells from antiretroviral therapy (ART)-suppressed HIV patients were induced with αCD3/αCD28 to reactivate HIVex vivo Thus, priming CD4 T cells from ART suppressed HIV patients with a BCL-2 antagonist, followed by HIV reactivation, achieves reductions in cell-associated HIV DNA, whereas HIV reactivation alone does not.ImportanceHIV infection is incurable due to a long-lived reservoir of HIV(+)memory CD4 T cells, and no clinically relevant interventions have been identified that reduce the number of these HIV DNA-containing cells. Since postintegration HIV replication can result in HIV protease generation of Casp8p41, which activates BAK, causing infected CD4 T cell death, we sought to determine whether this occurs in memory CD4 T cells. Here, we demonstrate that memory CD4 T cells can generate Casp8p41 and yet are intrinsically resistant to death induced by diverse stimuli, including Casp8p41. Furthermore, BCL-2 expression is relatively increased in these cells and directly binds and inhibits Casp8p41's proapoptotic effects. Antagonizing BCL-2 with venetoclax derepresses this antagonism, resulting in death, preferentially in HIV DNA containing cells, since only these cells generate Casp8p41. Thus, BCL-2 antagonism is a clinically relevant intervention with the potential to reduce HIV reservoir size in patients.

Dataset Information

Expression of CD20 after viral reactivation renders HIV-reservoir cells susceptible to Rituximab.

Publications

Expression of CD20 after viral reactivation renders HIV-reservoir cells susceptible to Rituximab.

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