Carboxyl-terminal and central regions of human immunodeficiency virus-1 NEF recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes from lymphoid organs. An in vitro limiting dilution analysis.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) proteins have been analyzed in lymphoid organs from seropositive patients. Indeed, an active HIV replication coexists with a major CD8+ lymphocytic infiltration in these organs. We have shown in a previous report that HIV-seropositive patients lungs were infiltrated by HIV specific CD8+ lymphocytes. In the present report, we show that HIV-specific CTL responses can also be detected in lymph nodes and spleens, and were mainly directed against the ENV, GAG, and NEF HIV-1 proteins. The primary NEF-specific CTL responses were further characterized by epitope mapping. Determination of epitope-specific CTL frequencies were performed by limiting dilution analysis. Our results indicated that, in addition to the central region of NEF (AA66-148), a new immunodominant region is recognized by CTL. This region corresponds to the carboxyl-terminal domain of NEF (amino acids 182-206). AA182-206 is recognized in association with at least two common human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules (HLA-A1 and B8), with clonal frequencies of one CTL per 10(-5) to 10(-6) splenic lymphocytes. Our data indicate that lymphoid organs may represent a major reservoir for in vivo activated HIV-specific CTL. Furthermore, the carboxyl-terminal domain of NEF was found to be conserved among several HIV strains. Therefore, our finding is of interest for further HIV vaccines development.

[Inhibitor effect of CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes on cell-mediated cytotoxicity: characterization of suppressor factor]. / Effet inhibiteur des lymphocytes CD8+CD57+ sur la cytotoxicité à médiation cellulaire: caractérisation d'un facteur suppresseur.

We report a new suppressor function of CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes from HIV-seropositive patients or allotransplanted recipients, on the cytolytic activity of allospecific CTL, NK and LAK cells. This inhibitory effect is mediated by a non-antigen specific soluble factor distinct from PGE2, TGF beta and TNF alpha beta. A preliminary biochemical characterization indicates that the CD8+CD57+ inhibitory activity 1. is heat and trypsin resistant, 2. specifically binds to Concanavalin A suggesting its glycosylation, 3. is mediated by a 20-30 kD molecule.

[Cytotoxic response against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): control with suppressor factor]. / Réponse cytotoxique contre le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (VIH): contrôle par un facteur suppresseur.

We report a new suppressor function of CD8+ CD57+ lymphocytes from HIV-seropositive patients recipients, on the cytolytic activity of allospecific CTL, NK and LAK cells. This inhibitory effect is mediated by a non-antigen specific soluble factor distinct from PGE2, TGF beta and TNF alpha and beta. Biochemical characterization indicates that the CD8+ CD57+ inhibitory activity: 1) is heat and trypsin resistant but remains sensitive to pronase E hydrolyse, 2) specifically bind to concanavalin A-sepharose column, 3) is mediated by a 20-30 kdaltons glycoprotein.

Alveolar CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes in human immunodeficiency virus infection produce an inhibitor of cytotoxic functions.

We investigated the CD8+CD57+ alveolar cell functions and their immunoregulatory role in lungs from HIV-seropositive patients with the clinical presentation of lymphocytic alveolitis at different stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. We previously reported, at Stage IV of HIV infection, an expansion of CD8+CD57+ alveolar lymphocytes mirroring the decline of local anti-HIV cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses, and demonstrated that sorted CD8+CD57+ alveolar lymphocytes inhibited the effector phase of these HIV-specific CTL. In the present study, we show that the expansion of CD8+CD57+ alveolar T cells can also be detected at stages II and III of HIV disease, although at a lower degree than observed at Stage IV of HIV infection. When sorted, these CD8+CD57+ alveolar lymphocytes block effector killer cells such as allospecific CTL, natural killer (NK), and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. The mechanism of action of these inhibitory T-lymphocytes has been further studied and we demonstrated that: (1) cell-to-cell contact between inhibitor and killer is not required, (2) nonstimulated alveolar CD8+CD57+lymphocytes but not CD57- lymphocytes spontaneously release a solube inhibitor of cytolytic functions (ICF). This inhibitory activity of alveolar CD8+CD57+ cells is mediated by a glycosylated protein which is distinct from tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), TNF beta, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1), TGF beta 2, interferon alpha (IFN alpha), interferon gamma (IFN gamma), and prostaglandins. The release of such an inhibitor of killer cell functions by CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes in the lungs, which are an important interface between the sterile body and the antigen-laden environment, may play a role in the local control of cell immunity.

Oligoclonal expansion of CD8+ CD57+ T cells with restricted T-cell receptor beta chain variability after bone marrow transplantation.

A major expansion of CD8+57+ lymphocytes expressing an alpha-beta T-cell receptor (TCR) is frequent after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We examined the clonality of the TCR beta gene repertoire in these expanded CD8+57+ cells after allogeneic or autologous BMT. We performed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the V beta chain usage in CD8+57+ cells purified from nine BMT recipients with a series of oligonucleotides specific for 20 V beta gene families. PCR products from selected TCR beta gene rearrangements were sequenced. The CD8+57+ cells from eight of nine patients used a restricted set of V beta families, with a marked predominance of two to three V beta gene families per patient, whereas the control autologous CD57- subset expressed the whole 20 V beta families. A direct sequencing analysis confirmed the V beta 16 and V beta 17 clonality in six patients, showing a striking homology in the CDR3 sequences of the V beta 16 products. The CD8+57+ cells, but not the CD57- cells, displayed an oligoclonal pattern of TCR rearrangements as shown by PCR analysis of TCR gamma gene rearrangements. Such an oligoclonal expansion of CD8+57+ cells, using a restricted set of the V beta gene families, may result from a specific TCR stimulation of a limited number of T-cell clones in BMT recipients.

A soluble factor released by CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes from bone marrow transplanted patients inhibits cell-mediated cytolysis.

We report a new inhibitory activity of CD8+CD57+ peripheral blood lymphocytes from allo-bone marrow transplant patients. Positively selected CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes act as potent inhibitors of allospecific cytolytic T lymphocyte and lymphokine activated killer cell cytolytic activities. These suppressor cells are mature T cells expressing the CD2, 5, 7, CD3-TcR alpha beta complex, and lack natural killer cell markers as well as cytolytic function. Their inhibitory activity on both cytolytic processes and T-cell proliferation is mediated by a non-antigen-specific soluble factor released by CD8+CD57+ cells in culture supernatants. Preliminary characterization suggests that the CD8+CD57+ cells' inhibitory activity is mediated by a low molecular weight, glycosylated factor as indicated by its less than 1S coefficient of sedimentation and its binding to concanavalin A lectin.

HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes against alveolar macrophages: specificities and downregulation.

To analyse the evolution of alveolar-lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic activity directed against autologous alveolar macrophages (AM), cytotoxic assays against various HIV+ target cells were performed in a cohort of 75 patients with HIV-associated lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) studied at distinct stages of HIV infection. Our data confirm that alveolar HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against AM were detectable before AIDS in patients with CD8+ LIP. Mild CD8+ lymphocytic alveolitis occurs silently in 62% of stage II and III patients with no respiratory symptoms. In these cases, the lack of spontaneous alveolar-lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic activity against autologous AM may contrast with the detection of primary alveolar CTL specific for HIV proteins such as nef. In AIDS patients, the alveolar CTL lytic efficiency against both AM- and HIV-antigen-expressing cells can be inhibited by a suppressor factor produced by alveolar CD8+ CD57+ cells. Therefore, spontaneous CTL lysis of AM may be (1) limited to a subgroup of patients with active LIP and (2) controlled by distinct mechanisms, including suppressor phenomenons, and HIV replication levels in AM.

An inhibitor of cytotoxic functions produced by CD8+CD57+ T lymphocytes from patients suffering from AIDS and immunosuppressed bone marrow recipients.

An inhibitor of the cytotoxic functions (ICF) mediated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- or HLA-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells is secreted by CD8+CD57+ T lymphocytes, a subset expanded during infection with HIV and after bone marrow transplantation. We previously showed an apparent molecular mass of 20-30 kDa for this soluble glycosylated concanavalin A-binding inhibitor which is distinct from known cytokines. Here, we report a characterization of the mechanism of action of this CD8+CD57+ ICF. We show that the ICF-induced inhibition of LAK cell cytolytic activity is transient, with a spontaneous recovery of cytolytic potential after 18 h. When testing interactions of ICF with a large set of cytokines we found that the ICF-mediated inhibition of cytotoxic functions is antagonized by two cytokines: recombinant interleukin (rIL)-4 and recombinant interferon (rIFN)-gamma. Finally, we show that ICF acts at the level of cytolytic effector cells, where it induces a significant increase of cyclic AMP (cAMP) level. In contrast, no modification of either cell surface antigen expression or of target/effector cell conjugate formation could be evidenced. Addition of rIL-4 and rIFN-gamma reverses such an increase of cAMP levels and in parallel restores the cytolytic activity. Altogether, these data demonstrate that the glycoprotein ICF produced by CD8+CD57+ cells (1) inhibits cell-mediated cytotoxicity by sensitizing cytolytic effector cells to the cAMP pathway, and (2) is part of a cytokine network controlling cell-mediated cytotoxic functions.

A lectin-binding soluble factor released by CD8+CD57+ lymphocytes from AIDS patients inhibits T cell cytotoxicity.

CD8+CD57+ T cells, expanded in peripheral blood lymphocytes of AIDS patients, inhibit the effector phase of HLA-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, natural killer and lymphocyte-activated killer cells in a 4-h chromium-release assay. This inhibitory activity present in supernatants of purified sorted CD8+CD57+ cells is mediated by a non-antigen-specific inhibitory factor which is distinct from prostaglandin E2, T cell growth factor (TGF)-beta, latent-TGF-beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and TNF-beta. Partial biochemical characterization demonstrates that the CD8+CD57+ inhibitory activity (a) is heat, trypsin and acid resistant, (b) binds to concanavalin A columns, indicating its glycosylation state and (c) is mediated by a 20-30-kDa soluble molecule.

CD8hi+CD57+ T lymphocytes are enriched in antigen-specific T cells capable of down-modulating cytotoxic activity.

Major expansions of CD8hi+CD57+ T lymphocytes frequently occur during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and after transplantation. To investigate mechanisms of such cell expansion, we compared the activation and functional status of CD8hi+CD57+ and CD57-peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from normal, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and HIV+ donors. The CD8hi+CD57+ PBL from BMT and HIV+ donors preferentially displayed CD38 and HLA-DR activation markers without correlation between CD8hi+CD57+ percentages and HIV load, the CD45RA+ isoform in all ex vivo conditions but acquired CD45RO after in vitro expansion, CD11b and CD11c in BMT and HIV+ donors but decreased expression of CD62-L, VLA-2 and VLA-6. The CD8hi+CD57+ cells were positive for perforin and granzyme B and spontaneously mediated cytolytic activity in a CD3-redirected assay. In contrast the inhibitor of cytolytic functions (ICF) produced by CD8hi+CD57+ cells down-modulated the CD3-redirected cytolytic activity but only at low levels of CD3 cross-linking. While CD3-triggering induced a low, if any, short-term proliferation of CD8+CD57+ cells, this subset could be amplified after long-term stimulation either with mitogens or with HIV antigens, thereby enriched in HIV-specific T cells producing tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Altogether these data suggest that CD8hi+CD57+ cells represent a terminal differentiation state of activated effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes which are enriched in antigen-specific T cells and down-modulate their own cytolytic potential, thus participating in a negative control of effector cell functions during persistent viral infections or transplantations.