Adjuvant roles of interleukin-7 in enhancing T cell recovery during antiretroviral therapy for individuals with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis

T cell suppression has been observed in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of interleukin (IL)-7 on T cell count and HIV DNA load in individuals with HIV receiving long-term ART. We screened English-language articles on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science from inception up to April 7, 2023. The included articles were assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. A meta-analysis of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell counts and HIV DNA load was performed in individuals with HIV before and after IL-7 administration. Eight articles were included in our study. CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell counts were significantly elevated at weeks 4 and 12 after administration of 20 μg/Kg IL-7 in individuals with HIV on long-term ART. The HIV DNA load in whole blood also increased after IL-7 treatment; however, no significant change was observed in intracellular DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD4⁺ T cells. Moreover, IL-7 is generally well tolerated in clinical studies. Our analysis revealed that IL-7 can induce an increase in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell counts in individuals with HIV receiving long-term ART, aiding in immune system reconstitution and increasing the HIV DNA load in the whole blood. These findings suggest that while IL-7 holds promise as an adjuvant strategy for immune restoration, its long-term impact on HIV persistence must be weighed in clinical application.