Pharmaceuticals (Apr 2024)

Polarization of HIV-1- and CMV-Specific IL-17-Producing T Cells among People with HIV under Antiretroviral Therapy with Cannabis and/or Cocaine Usage

  • Fernanda de Oliveira Feitosa de Castro,
  • Adriana Oliveira Guilarde,
  • Luiz Carlos Silva Souza,
  • Regyane Ferreira Guimarães,
  • Ana Joaquina Cohen Serique Pereira,
  • Pedro Roosevelt Torres Romão,
  • Irmtraut Araci Hoffmann Pfrimer,
  • Simone Gonçalves Fonseca

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17040465
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 4
p. 465

Abstract

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Objective: This study evaluated the influence of cannabis and/or cocaine use in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell responses of people with HIV (PWH). Results: There was a higher percentage of IL-17-producing HIV-Gag-specific CD8+ T-cells in all drug users than that in PWH non-drug users. Stratifying the drug-user groups, increased percentages of IL-17-producing HIV-Gag-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were found in PWH cannabis plus cocaine users compared to PWH non-drug users. In response to CMV, there were higher percentage of IL-17-producing CMV-specific CD8+ T-cell in PWH cocaine users than that in PWH non-drug users. Considering all drug users together, there was a higher percentage of SEB-stimulated IL-17-producing CD4+ T-cells than that in PWH non-drug users, whereas cannabis users had higher percentages of IL-17-producing CD4+ T-cells compared to non-drug users. Methods: Cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 37 PWH undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART) using cannabis (10), cocaine (7), or cannabis plus cocaine (10) and non-drug users (10) were stimulated with HIV-1 Gag or CMV-pp65 peptide pools, or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and evaluated for IFN-γ- and/or IL-17A-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells using flow cytometry. Conclusions: Cannabis plus cocaine use increased HIV-specific IL-17 producing T-cells and cocaine use increased IL-17 CMV-specific CD8+ T-cell responses which could favor the inflammatory conditions associated with IL-17 overproduction.

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