CD4+ T cell polyfunctional profile in HIV-TB coinfection are similar between individuals with latent and active TB infection

CD4+ T cell counts of HIV-infected individuals with pulmonary TB (PTB) are higher than with other opportunistic infections suggesting that progression to PTB is not merely due to T cell depletion but also dysfunction. There are limited data examining T cell functional signatures in human HIV-TB co-infection particularly in PTB which accounts for about 80% of active TB disease overall. We examined a cohort of HIV-infected anti-retroviral naïve individuals in Kampala, Uganda, a TB endemic area using multiparametric flow cytometry analysis to determine IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-17, and TNF-α production in CD4+ memory T cell subsets. The cytokine frequency and polyfunctionality profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific CD4+ T cells in HIV-infected persons with latent TB infection (LTBI) or PTB is comparable. This similarity suggests that LTBI may represent a smoldering state of persistent MTB replication rather than dormant infection. This may be a contributory mechanism to the significantly increased risk of progression to PTB in this population.