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Objectives: The objectives of this study were to analyze the relationship between serum globulin levels and immune restoration and HIV reservoir size during long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART)., Methods: We enrolled 13 patients living with HIV who had been receiving ART for 5 years. We measured levels of serum globulin, cell-associated (CA) HIV DNA and RNA, and p24 antibody at 0, 1, 3, and 5 years of ART. CD38 and human leukocyte antigen - DR isotype (HLA-DR) were used as activation markers for T-cell activation. Serum concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines interferon gamma-inducible protein (IP)-10 and soluble CD163 (sCD163) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We analyzed the relationship between serum globulin levels, HIV reservoir size, immune restoration, T-cell immune activation, and inflammatory levels during long-term ART., Results: Our data showed that serum globulin levels in people living with HIV were higher than in healthy controls and significantly decreased during the first year of ART. Serum globulin levels during long-term ART were positively correlated with CA HIV DNA, CA HIV RNA, p24 antibody levels, and CD8 + T-cell counts and negatively correlated with CD4 + T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 ratios. Moreover, serum globulin levels were positively correlated with CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell activation and the concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers IP-10 and sCD163 during long-term ART., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that serum globulin levels may be associated with HIV reservoir size and immune restoration during long-term ART., (© 2022 British HIV Association.)

Introduction: To investigate the characteristics of β7 high CD4 + T cells during HIV-1 infection and the relationship between β7 high CD4 + T cells and HIV-1 disease progress., Methods: This study enrolled 124 HIV-1-infected patients, including 80 treatment naïve patients (TNs), 41 patients who underwent antiretroviral therapy (ARTs), and three long-term no progression patients (LTNPs). Nineteen matched healthy subjects were included as controls (HCs). The characteristics and frequency of β7 high CD4 + T cells were analyzed using flow cytometry. An in vitro culture experiment was used to study HIV-1 infection of β7 high CD4 + T cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to quantify HIV-1 DNA and CA-RNA levels., Results: The frequency of β7 high CD4 + T in the peripheral blood was significantly decreased and negatively correlated with disease progression during chronic HIV-1 infection. A large proportion of β7 high CD4 + T cells showed Th17 phenotype. Furthermore, β7 high CD4 + T cells were preferentially infected by HIV-1 in vitro and in vivo. There were no significant differences of HIV-1 DNA, and CA-RNA levels between β7 high CD4 + T and β7 low CD4 + T subsets in HIV-1 infected individuals after antiviral treatment., Conclusion: The β7 high CD4 + T cells were negatively correlated with disease progression during chronic HIV-1 infection. β7 high CD4 + T cells are susceptible to infection with HIV-1 and HIV-1 latent cells., (© 2022 British HIV Association.)