Effect of hydrocortisone hormone on in-vitro reactivation of HIV-1 reservoirs

Abstract

The persistence of the HIV-1 reservoir in infected individuals represents a major hurdle to the development of a cure and complete eradication of HIV-1 infection. Stress hormones have also been shown to modulate immune function through viral reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus, Varicella-zoster virus and herpes-simplex-1. Although there’s such evidence, the role of stress hormones in reactivation of HIV-1 reservoir has not been established. The present study was therefore, designed to test hypothesis that hydrocortisone and epinephrine hormones reactivate the HIV-1 reservoir. We studied 5 HIV-1 infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy for 3 years and we assessed production of p24 protein in presence of hydrocortisone. We also assessed the phenotype of p24+ producing cells using HIV flow assay. Hydrocortisone hormone was associated with reactivation of translation competent HIV-1 reservoir (p=0.0230). Majority of p24 producing cells displayed a transitional memory phenotype and were also associated with high immune activation by measure of expression of HLA-DR. Altogether these results highlight the potential role of stress on differential progression of HIV-1 infection through contributing to regulation of T cell activation in HIV.