IL-22 participates in an innate anti-HIV-1 host-resistance network through acute-phase protein induction

J Immunol. 2007 Jan 1;178(1):407-15. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.178.1.407.

Abstract

Certain individuals are resistant to HIV-1 infection, despite repeated exposure to the virus. Although protection against HIV-1 infection in a small proportion of Caucasian individuals is associated with mutant alleles of the CCR5 HIV-1 coreceptor, the molecular mechanism underlying resistance in repeatedly HIV-1-exposed, uninfected individuals (EU) is unclear. In this study, we performed complementary transcriptome and proteome analyses on peripheral blood T cells, and plasma or serum from EU, their HIV-1-infected sexual partners, and healthy controls, all expressing wild-type CCR5. We report that activated T cells from EU overproduce several proteins involved in the innate immunity response, principally those including high levels of peroxiredoxin II, a NK-enhancing factor possessing strong anti-HIV activity, and IL-22, a cytokine involved in the production of acute-phase proteins such as the acute-phase serum amyloid A (A-SAA). Cell supernatants and serum levels of these proteins were up-regulated in EU. Moreover, a specific biomarker for EU detected in plasma was identified as an 8.6-kDa A-SAA cleavage product. Incubation of in vitro-generated myeloid immature dendritic cells with A-SAA resulted in CCR5 phosphorylation, down-regulation of CCR5 expression, and strongly decreased susceptibility of these cells to in vitro infection with a primary HIV-1 isolate. Taken together, these results suggest new correlates of EU protection and identify a cascade involving IL-22 and the acute phase protein pathway that is associated with innate host resistance to HIV infection.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute-Phase Proteins / analysis
  • Acute-Phase Proteins / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • HIV Infections / genetics
  • HIV Infections / immunology*
  • HIV-1*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / genetics
  • Interleukin-22
  • Interleukins / blood
  • Interleukins / genetics
  • Interleukins / metabolism*
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Myeloid Cells / immunology
  • Peroxidases / blood
  • Peroxidases / genetics
  • Peroxidases / metabolism
  • Peroxiredoxins
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proteome / analysis
  • Proteome / genetics
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • Receptors, CCR5 / metabolism
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein / analysis
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Acute-Phase Proteins
  • Biomarkers
  • Interleukins
  • Proteome
  • Receptors, CCR5
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein
  • Peroxidases
  • Peroxiredoxins