INFLAMMATORY COLONIC INNATE LYMPHOID CELLS ARE INCREASED DURING UNTREATED HIV-1 INFECTION AND ASSOCIATED WITH MARKERS OF GUT DYSBIOSIS AND MUCOSAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION

摘要

BACKGROUNDHIV-1 infection is associated with intestinal inflammation, changes in the enteric microbiota (dysbiosis) and intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) damage. NKp44⁺ innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play an important role in epithelial barrier maintenance via the production of IL-22, but also display functional plasticity and can produce inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IFNγ) in response to cytokine milieu and stimulatory signals. The objective of this pilot study was to enumerate frequencies of IL-22 and IFNγ-expressing colonic NKp44⁺ ILCs during untreated, chronic HIV-1 infection.