Original Paper

Expression Levels of TLRs Involved in Viral Recognition in PBMCs from HIV-1-Infected Patients Failing Antiretroviral Therapy
Carolina Scagnolari^a, Carla Selvaggi^a, Luisa Chiavuzzo^a, Teresa Carbone^a, Lorenzo Zaffiri^b, Gabriella d'Ettorre^b, Enrico Girardi^c, Ombretta Turriziani^a, Vincenzo Vullo^b, Guido Antonelli<sup>a

a</sup>Virology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine, and
^bDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University, and
^cNational Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani, Rome, Italy

Address of Corresponding Author

Intervirology 2009;52:107-114 (DOI: 10.1159/000218082)

  Key Words

• Human immunodeficiency virus
• Pathogenesis
• Pattern recognition receptors
• Toll-like receptors
• Viremia

  Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether gene expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3, TLR4, TLR7 and TLR9 was impaired in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection who were failing to respond to antiretroviral therapy. Methods: Transcripts encoding TLRs were assayed by quantitative real time RT-PCR on peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from patients with HIV-1 infection who were responding or not responding to antiretroviral therapy and healthy control subjects. Results: Chronic HIV-1-infected patients who failed to respond to therapy showed reduced expression of TLRs 3, 4 and 9, together with increased expression of TLR7, as compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, a trend towards a higher expression of TLR3 and TLR9 was observed in responder patients compared with non-responders. In addition, we found lower levels of TRLs 3, 7 and 9 in patients with high levels of HIV-1 RNA compared to those with lower levels of viremia. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that in chronic HIV-1-positive patients who were failing to respond to the therapy, there were substantial changes in TLRs expression. This is likely to be an important determinant of the clinical course of HIV-1 infection.

Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Carolina Scagnolari, PhD
Department of Experimental Medicine, Virology Section
Sapienza University of Rome
Viale di Porta Tiburtina 28, IT-00185 Rome (Italy)
Tel. +39 06 4474 1241, Fax +39 06 4474 1236, E-Mail carolina.scagnolari@uniroma1.it

  Article Information

Received: November 25, 2008
Accepted after revision: March 12, 2009
Published online: May 13, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 33