• Yahong Chen, Xin Li, Shuran Liu, Wen Ao, Jing Lin, Zhenting Li, Shouli Wu, Hanhui Ye, Xiao Han, and Dongliang Li.
• Department of infection, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350025, China.
• Chin. Med. J. 2023 Nov 20; 136 (22): 269427052694-2705.

BackgroundPrevious studies have examined the bulk transcriptome of peripheral blood immune cells in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients experiencing immunological non-responsiveness. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of specific immune cell subtypes in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients who exhibit immunological non-responsiveness.MethodsA single-cell transcriptome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from both immunological responders (IRs) (CD4 + T-cell count >500) and immunological non-responders (INRs) (CD4 + T-cell count <300) was conducted. The transcriptomic profiles were used to identify distinct cell subpopulations, marker genes, and differentially expressed genes aiming to uncover potential genetic factors associated with immunological non-responsiveness.ResultsAmong the cellular subpopulations analyzed, the ratios of monocytes, CD16 + monocytes, and exhausted B cells demonstrated the most substantial differences between INRs and IRs, with fold changes of 39.79, 11.08, and 2.71, respectively. In contrast, the CD4 + T cell ratio was significantly decreased (0.39-fold change) in INRs compared with that in IRs. Similarly, the ratios of natural killer cells and terminal effector CD8 + T cells were also lower (0.37-fold and 0.27-fold, respectively) in the INRs group. In addition to several well-characterized immune cell-specific markers, we identified a set of 181 marker genes that were enriched in biological pathways associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication. Notably, ISG15 , IFITM3 , PLSCR1 , HLA-DQB1 , CCL3L1 , and DDX5 , which have been demonstrated to influence HIV replication through their interaction with viral proteins, emerged as significant monocyte marker genes. Furthermore, the differentially expressed genes in natural killer cells were also enriched in biological pathways associated with HIV replication.ConclusionsWe generated an atlas of immune cell transcriptomes in HIV-infected IRs and INRs. Host genes associated with HIV replication were identified as markers of, and were found to be differentially expressed in, different types of immune cells.Copyright © 2023 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.

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