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Interleukin-7 biology in HIV disease and the path to immune reconstitution

Scott F Sieg1

  • 1Case Western Reserve University, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Center for AIDS Research, 2109 Adelbert Rd., Biomedical Research Building, Rm. 1020, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. scott.sieg@case.edu

Current HIV Research
|May 18, 2012
PubMed

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is a cytokine that plays a critical role in T cell homeostasis by promoting proliferation and survival of mature T cells and also by enhancing thymic output for the generation of new T cells. IL-7 receptor expression and signaling function is perturbed in HIV infection and could contribute to disease pathogenesis. Even though highly active anti-retroviral therapy has markedly reduced morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons, there remains concern that a significant proportion of treated patients may experience relatively poor CD4+ T cell recovery despite sustained viral suppression. Recent human trials and animal studies suggest that IL-7 administration may provide a powerful tool to enhance T cell reconstitution in HIV-infected persons. The role of IL-7/IL-7 receptor perturbations in HIV pathogenesis and the potential to reconstitute immunity with IL-7 administration in the setting of HIV infection are important areas of investigation.

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