Comparison of the integrin α4β7 expression pattern of memory T cell subsets in HIV infection and ulcerative colitis

Anti-α4β7 therapy with vedolizumab (VDZ) has been suggested as possible immune intervention in HIV. Relatively little is known about the α4β7-integrin (α4β7) expression of different T-cell subsets in different anatomical compartments of healthy individuals, patients with HIV or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Surface expression of α4β7 as well as the frequency of activation, homing and exhaustion markers of T cells were assessed by multicolour flow cytometry in healthy volunteers (n = 15) compared to HIV infected patients (n = 52) or patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) (n = 14), 6 of whom treated with vedolizumab. In addition, lymph nodal cells (n = 6), gut-derived cells of healthy volunteers (n = 5) and patients with UC (n = 6) were analysed. Additionally, we studied longitudinal PBMC samples of an HIV patient who was treated with vedolizumab for concomitant UC. Overall, only minor variations of the frequency of α4β7 on total CD4+ T cells were detectable regardless of the disease status or (VDZ) treatment status in peripheral blood and the studied tissues. Peripheral α4β7+ CD4+ T cells of healthy individuals and patients with UC showed a higher activation status and were more frequently CCR5+ than their α4β7- counterparts. Also, the frequency of α4β7+ cells was significantly lower in peripheral blood CD4+ effector memory T cells of HIV-infected compared to healthy individuals and this reduced frequency did not recover in HIV patients on ART. Conversely, the frequency of peripheral blood naïve α4β7+ CD4+ T cells was significantly reduced under VDZ treatment. The results of the current study will contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of α4β7 expression pattern on T cells in HIV and UC and will be useful for future studies investigating VDZ as possible HIV cure strategy.