Analysis of transcription in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy

Human immunodeficiency virus is a cause of progressive infection leading to immune dysfunction. Although antiretroviral treatment can normalize the functional state of immune cells by reducing viral load, for some people the immune efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is insufficient. The aim of this study was to investigate the transcriptomic changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients receiving ART. To evaluate the changes in PBMC, we conducted a clinical trial involving HIV-positive patients on ART. PBMC were collected before starting ART and after 24 weeks of treatment with ART along with estimation of viral load and CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes count. To evaluate the transcriptional profiles, we used RNA sequencing of isolated PBMC. The results showed two-fold differential expression of 70 genes in PBMC induced by ART and 56 genes prediction an increase in CD4+ lymphocytes after therapy. This information can be helpful for understanding molecular mechanisms of host response to ART. Overall design: RNA-seq profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) derived from patients with HIV before initiation of therapy and after 24 weeks of therapy (tenofovir + lamivudine + dolutegravir). CD4, CD8 cell counts, and viral load (copies / ml) were also measured before and after therapy.