IL-21 and probiotic therapy improve Th17 frequencies, microbial translocation, and microbiome in ARV-treated, SIV-infected macaques

• Authors: Alexandra M. Ortiz, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Zachary A. Klase, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Sarah R. DiNapoli, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, University of California San Francisco; Kirby Carmack, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Molly R. Perkins, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Nina Calantone, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Carol L. Vinton, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Nadeene E. Riddick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; John Gallagher, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Nichole R. Klatt, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Joseph M. McCune, University of California San Francisco; Jacob D. Estes, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.; Mirko Paiardini, Emory University; Jason M. Brenchley, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Journal Title: Mucosal Immunology
• Volume: Volume 9, Number 2
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group | 2016-03-01, Pages 458-467
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/mi.2015.75
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Immunology; Health Sciences, Pharmacology
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Immunology; CD8(+) T-CELLS; HIV-INFECTION; IMMUNE ACTIVATION; ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY; LENTIVIRAL INFECTIONS; VIRAL REPLICATION; PIGTAIL MACAQUES; RHESUS MACAQUES; T(H)17 CELLS; TGF-BETA

Abstract

Increased mortality in antiretroviral (ARV)-treated, HIV-infected individuals has been attributed to persistent immune dysfunction, in part due to abnormalities at the gastrointestinal barrier. In particular, the poor reconstitution of gastrointestinal Th17 cells correlates with residual translocation of dysbiotic, immunostimulatory microflora across a compromised intestinal epithelial barrier. We have previously demonstrated that oral probiotics promote increased intestinal CD4 + T-cell reconstitution during ARV treatment in a non-human primate model of HIV infection; however, essential mucosal T-cell subsets, such as Th17 cells, had limited recovery. Here, we sought to promote Th17 cell recovery by administering interleukin (IL)-21 to a limited number of ARV-treated, probiotic-supplemented, Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-infected pigtailed macaques. We demonstrate that probiotic and IL-21 supplementation of ARVs are associated with enhanced polyfunctional Th17 expansion and reduced markers of microbial translocation and dysbiosis as compared with infected controls receiving ARVs alone. Importantly, treatment resulted in fewer morbidities compared with controls, and was independent of increased immune activation or loss of viral suppression. We propose that combining ARVs with therapeutics aimed at restoring intestinal stasis may significantly improve disease prognosis of ARV-treated, HIV-infected individuals.