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New Research by VGTI Florida Science Director Demonstrates How HIV Disables the Immune System

The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, describes the pivotal role of two molecules, PD-1 and IL-10, in impairing the function of disease-fighting T-cells known as CD4 T-cells - a phenomenon that weakens the body's immune system.

Specifically, the researchers found that when HIV invades the body, bacterial products are released from the gut and white blood cells respond by releasing a protein on the surface of the cell called PD-1. Heightened levels of PD-1 lead to the activation of a gene that produces another protein called IL-10. Both of these proteins (PD-1 and IL-10) are known to appear at increased levels during HIV infection.

"We are the first to show that these two molecules work together to shut down the function of CD4 T-cells in HIV patients. This in turn, may lead to paralysis of the immune system and an accelerated disease progression," said Dr. Rafick-Pierre Sekaly, scientific director of VGTI Florida, a professor at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center.

"Our results suggest that it is important to block both IL-10 and PD-1 interactions to restore the immune response during HIV infection," said Dr. Sekaly. "We believe that immunotherapies that target PD-1 and IL-10 should be part of the arsenal used to restore immune function in HIV-infected subjects."

About the study:

The article "PD-1 Induced IL-10 Production by Monocytes Impairs CD4 T-Cell Activation during HIV Infection," published in Nature, was authored by Elias A. Said, Franck P. Dupuy, Lydie Trautmann, Yuwei Zhang, Yu Shi, Mohamed El-Far, Brenna J. Hill, Alessandra Noto, Petronela Ancuta, Yoav Peretz, Simone G. Fonseca, Julien Van Grevenynghe, Mohamed R. Boulassel, Julie Bruneau, Naglaa H. Shoukry, Jean-Pierre Routy, Daniel C. Douek, Elias K. Haddad, and Rafick P. Sekaly.

About VGTI Florida:

VGTI Florida is the Florida-funded expansion of Oregon Health & Science University's highly successful Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute. Research at the facility will focus on vaccine development with a special focus on vaccines and therapeutics that protect the aging population, which is the most vulnerable to disease.

For VGTI Florida
Ryan Banfill, 850-222-1996