Browsing by Author "Giavedoni, Luis D."

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    Immune variations throughout the course of tuberculosis treatment and its relationship with adrenal hormone changes in HIV-1 patients co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
    (2022-03) Vecchione, María Belén; Angerami, Matias; Suarez, Guadalupe Verónica; Turk, Gabriela; Laufer, Natalia; Ben, Graciela; Ameri, Diego; Gonzalez, Diego; Parodi, Laura M.; Giavedoni, Luis D.; Maidana, Patricia; Fabre, Bibiana; Mesch, Viviana; Sued, Omar; Quiroga, Maria Florencia
    HIV infection is a major risk factor predisposing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and progression to active tuberculosis (TB). As host immune response defines the course of infection, we aimed to identify immuno-endocrine changes over six-months of anti-TB chemotherapy in HIV+ people. Plasma levels of cortisol, DHEA and DHEA-S, percentages of CD4+ regulatory T cell subsets and number of IFN-γ-secreting cells were determined. Several cytokines, chemokines and C-reactive protein levels were measured. Results were correlated with clinical parameters as predictors of infection resolution and compared to similar data from HIV+ individuals, HIV-infected persons with latent TB infection and healthy donors. Throughout the course of anti-TB/HIV treatment, DHEA and DHEA-S plasma levels raised while cortisol diminished, which correlated to predictive factors of infection resolution. Furthermore, the balance between cortisol and DHEA, together with clinical assessment, may be considered as an indicator of clinical outcome after anti-TB treatment in HIV+ individuals. Clinical improvement was associated with reduced frequency of unconventional Tregs, increment in IFN-γ-secreting cells, diminution of systemic inflammation and changes of circulating cytokines and chemokines. This study suggests that the combined anti-HIV/TB therapies result in partial restoration of both, immune function and adrenal hormone plasma levels.
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    Th17 and Th17/Treg ratio at early HIV infection associate with protective HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses and disease progression
    (2015) Falivene, Juliana; Ghiglione, Yanina; Laufer, Natalia; Socias, Maria E.; Holgado, Maria Pia; Ruiz, Maria; Maeto, Cynthia; Figueroa, Maria Ines; Giavedoni, Luis D.; Cahn, Pedro; Salomon, Horacio; Sued, Omar; Turk, Gabriela; Gherardi, María Magdalena
    The aim of this study was to analyze Th17 and Treg subsets and their correlation with anti-HIV T-cell responses and clinical parameters during (acute/early) primary HIV infection (PHI) and up to one year post-infection (p.i). Samples from 14 healthy donors (HDs), 40 PHI patients, 17 Chronics and 13 Elite controllers (ECs) were studied. The percentages of Th17 and Treg subsets were severely altered in Chronics, whereas all HIV-infected individuals (including ECs) showed Th17/Treg imbalance compared to HDs, in concordance with higher frequencies of activated CD8+ T-cells (HLA-DR+/CD38+). Better clinical status (higher CD4 counts, lower viral loads and activation) was associated with higher Th17 and lower Treg levels. We found positive correlations between Th17 at baseline and anti-HIV CD8+ T-cell functionality: viral inhibitory activity (VIA) and key polyfunctions (IFN-γ+/CD107A/B+) at both early and later times p.i, highlighting the prognostic value of Th17 cells to preserve an effective HIV T-cell immunity. Th17/Treg ratio and the IL-17 relative mean fluorescence intensity (rMFI of IL-17) were also positively correlated with VIA. Taken together, our results suggested a potential link between Th17 and Th17/Treg ratio with key HIV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses against the infection.