The CCL2 Chemokine Promotes Early Seeding of the Latent HIV Reservoir

Abstract

ABSTRACTHIV infects long-lived CD4 memory T cells establishing a latent viral reservoir that necessitates lifelong anti-retroviral therapy (ART). How this reservoir is formed so swiftly remains unknown. We now show the innate inflammatory response to HIV infection results in CCL2 chemokine release, which can drive recruitment of cells expressing the CCR2 receptor including a subset of central memory CD4 T cells. Supporting a role for the CCL2/CCR2 axis in rapid reservoir formation, we find 1) treatment of humanized mice with anti-CCL2 antibodies during HIV infection decreases reservoir seeding and 2) CCR2/5+ cells from the blood of HIV-infected individuals on long term ART contain significantly more provirus than CCR2/5-negative memory or naïve cells. Together, these studies support a model where the host’s innate inflammatory CCL2 response to HIV infection recruits CCR2/5+ central memory CD4 T cells to zones of virus-associated inflammation likely contributing to rapid formation of the latent HIV reservoir.GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTWhy is the latent HIV reservoir established so early following infection? An innate immune response occurs during acute infection that establishes a “zone of inflammation” (step 1). The CCL2 chemokine is produced in part through IFI16 sensing of HIV DNA in abortively infected cells. CCL2 promotes rapid recruitment of CCR2/5+ memory CD4 T cells (step 2). Many of these cells become productively infected (step 3) and a fraction become latently infected (step 4). Thus, HIV hijacks the host inflammatory response to rapidly establish the latent reservoir. In support of this model, we find HIV reservoir reduction in humanized mice treated with anti-CCL2 antibodies during early infection. Further, we find that CCR2/5+ CD4 T cells harbor a substantial fraction of detectable proviruses in the blood of HIV-infected individuals on long-term suppressive ART.Abstract Figure