Selected Grantee Publications

Common and Divergent Features of T Cells From Blood, Gut, and Genital Tract of Antiretroviral Therapy–Treated HIV⁺ Women

Xie et al., Journal of Immunology. 2022.

https://www.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.2101102

T cells residing in mucosal tissues play important roles in homeostasis and defense against microbial pathogens, but how organ system environments affect the properties of resident T cells is relatively unknown. Researchers phenotyped T cells in the gut and reproductive tract using blood and tissue samples from women with HIV who have achieved viral suppression via antiretroviral therapy. The T cells exhibited differing expression of CD69 and CD103 markers, whereas resident memory CD8⁺ T cells from the female reproductive tract expressed PD1 preferentially. Additionally, CXCR4⁺ T inflammatory mucosal cells expressed multiple chemokine receptors differentially. These results suggest that T cells take on distinct properties in different mucosal sites, which allows them to tailor activities to their surrounding milieu. This study offers important insights for reproductive medicine in women. Supported by ORIP (S10OD018040), NHLBI, NIAID, and NIDDK.