TLR7 induces anergy in human CD4+ T cells #MMPMID25401424
Dominguez-Villar M; Gautron AS; de Marcken M; Keller MJ; Hafler DA
Nat Immunol 2015[Jan]; 16 (1): 118-28 PMID25401424show ga
Pattern recognition of microbes by Toll-like receptors (TLR) is critical for innate immune system activation. Although TLRs are expressed in human CD4+ T cells, their function is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that engaging TLR7 in CD4+ T cells induces intracellular calcium flux with activation of an NFATc2-dependent anergic gene expression program and T cell non-responsiveness. As chronic infections with RNA viruses such as HIV-1 induce profound CD4+ T cell dysfunction, we examined the role of TLR7-induced anergy in HIV-1 infection. TLR7 gene silencing markedly decreases the frequency of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells and restores cell responsiveness in those HIV-1+ CD4+ T cells. These results elucidate a previously unknown function for microbial pattern recognition receptors to down-regulate immune responses.