P10-12. Altered NK cell phenotype and function in Ugandans with chronic HIV-1 infection

Results NK cells displayed elevated production of IFN-γ and MIP1β, as well as CD107a degranulation in infected subjects. HIV-1 infection was associated with reduced expression of KIR2DL1, NKG2A, CD161 and NKp30 in CD56 dim and CD56neg NK cells, whereas lowered CD161 expression was the only alteration in the CD56 bright subset. Interestingly, low CD4 counts were associated with increased levels of IFN-γ and degranulation in CD56 bright NK cells. The presence of HLA-B Bw4-80I was associated with elevated frequencies of KIR3DL1+ NK cells in both healthy and chronically HIV-1 infected Ugandans. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the size of the KIR3DL1-expressing NK cell subset and viral load only in Bw4-80I+ patients. Finally, increasing size of this subset was associated with higher production of MIP-1β, a CC chemokine with anti-HIV activity, in the NK cell compartment of Bw4-80I+ patients.