Determinants of precocious B-cell aging in European adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV-1 after over 10 years of suppressive therapy
Authors: Ruggiero Alessandra , Pascucci Giuseppe Rubens , Cotugno Nicola , Domínguez-Rodríguez Sara , Rinaldi Stefano , Tagarro Alfredo , Conejo Pablo Rojo , Foster Caroline , Bamford Alasdair , De Rossi Anita , Nastouli Eleni , Klein Nigel , Morrocchi Elena , Fatou Benoit , Smolen Kinga K. , Ozonoff Al , Luzuriaga Katherine , Steen Hanno , Giaquinto Carlo , Goulder Philip , Rossi Paolo , Levy Ofer , Pawha Savita , Palma Paolo 
Published: November 2021

HIV infection results in a state of chronic immune activation leading to premature immune aging, B-cells dysfunction, that persists despite prolonged virological suppression. In this scenario, adolescence living with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV), deserve a peculiar attention since potentially exposed for their entire life to chronic immune activation. Here we identified determinants of precocious aging B cells in 40 PHIV undergoing suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) for median 13.5 years. All individuals started ART by 2nd year of life and achieved virus suppression within the 1st year of ART, with majority of patient maintaining suppression until analysis and 5/40 experiencing viral Spike (transient elevation of HIV-1 VL, 50-999 copies/ml). We employed a multiomics approach including deep immunological B and T cell phenotype in PBMC, with aging B cells defined by the expression of T-bet and CD11c; plasma proteomics analysis by mass spectrometry and serum level of anti-measles antibodies as correlates of humoral response. We found that individuals with expansion of aging B cell, defined by the expression of T-bet+CD11c+, were those starting treatment later, presenting detectable levels of cell-associated HIV-1 RNA, history of Spikes, and a higher frequency of exhausted T-cells, including those expressing PD-1, LAG3, TIGIT. Accordingly, the proteomic analysis revealed that subjects with expansion of aging B cells and exhausted T cells had enrichment of proteins involved in immune inflammation and complement activation pathways, such as CLU and APCS which are also involved in tumor progression. Signs of precocious aging were associated with a reduced capacity to maintain virological memory against measles vaccination. To our knowledge, this is the first study focusing on precocious B-cell aging and dysfunctionality in PHIV with long-term virological suppression. Our experimental strategy enabled identification of clinical, viral, cellular and plasma soluble markers associated with B-cells aging. Our results pave the way to further define risk of disease progression or lymphoproliferative disorders in PHIV.

Author summary

Despite a successful antiretroviral therapy (ART), adolescence living with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) experience B-cells dysfunction, including loss of vaccine-induced immunological memory and higher risk of developing B-cells associated tumors. It is thus paramount to define novel and precise correlates of precious aging B cell for the definition of novel therapeutic strategies. Here, we studied 40 PHIV who started treatment by 2nd year of life and maintain virological suppression for 13.5 years, with 5/40 patients experiencing transient elevation of the HIV-1 load in the plasma (Spike). We applied a multi-omics approach including immunological B and T cell phenotype, plasma proteomics analysis and serum level of anti-measles antibodies as functional correlates of vaccine-induced immunity. We found that levels of aging B cells were positively associated with age at ART start, cell associated HIV-1 RNA (caHIV-1 RNA) and the presence of Spikes. Individuals with increased proportions of aging B cells had concomitant expansion of exhausted T cells and were unable to maintain vaccine-induced immunity over time. B-cell aging, and T-cell exhaustion were also associated with proteins involved in immune inflammation. The factors found here to be associated with aging B-cell could inform further therapeutic studies.