Dissociation of CD154 and cytokine expression patterns in CD38+ CD4+ memory T cells in chronic HIV-1 infection

Expression of the activation antigen CD38 on T cells is a strong predictor of the risk of HIV disease progression, but it is not known whether CD38 is a marker or mediator of dysfunction. We examined the relationship between CD38 expression and responses to T-cell receptor stimulation in central memory and effector memory CD4 T cells in HIV-infected persons and in healthy controls. Basal CD38 expression was preserved by blocking golgi transport with brefeldin A. Intracellular expression of interleukin 2, interferon γ, and CD154 was measured after stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B with or without anti-CD28 costimulation. Interferon-γ responses were comparable or increased in stimulated CD38 memory cells, and the interleukin 2 responses of costimulated CD38 central memory cells were decreased in HIV infection. In CD38 cells and especially in CD38 cells of HIV-infected persons, stimulated memory cells more often failed to express CD154 (CD40 ligand) when induced to express cytokine. A dissociated cytokine and CD154 expression by memory CD4 T cells may impair interactions between T cells and antigen-presenting cells, contribute to impaired immunity and help explain the relationship between CD38 expression and disease progression in chronic HIV infection.