Abstract:

Objective To study the relationship between immune activation and host restriction factor SAMHD1expression and HIV ⁃1 DNA levels in HIV ⁃1 infected patients. Methods A total of 57 HIV ⁃1 patients without antiretroviral therapy（ART），62 HIV⁃1 patients with ART and 48 healthy controls were recruited. Periph⁃ eral blood mononuclear cells（PBMCs）and CD4 + T cells were purified. SAMHD1 mRNA and HIV⁃1 RNA were detected by RT⁃PCR. Count of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells，and immune activation of CD4 + T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. HIV⁃1 DNA levels in peripheral blood were detected by PCR. Results Immune activation of CD4+ T cells was increased in HIV⁃1 patients，especially in ART naïve group. HIV⁃1 DNA levels in peripheral blood of ART naïve patients were much higher than those of the patients in ART group（P < 0.01）. We found elevated SAM⁃ HD1 mRNA levels in PBMCs of all HIV ⁃1 patients，but decreased levels in CD4 + T cells compared with healthy controls（P < 0.01）. SAMHD1 expression was inversely associated with immune activation. No relationship was found between SAMHD1 and HIV⁃1 DNA levels. Conclusion SAMHD1expression in CD4+ T cells was decreased in HIV ⁃1 patients and negatively related to immune activation levels. No direct relationship found between SAM⁃ HD1 expression and HIV⁃1 DNA levels.

Key words:

SAMHD1, HIV?1, HIV?1 DNA, immune activation, antiretroviral therapy