Heightened expression of type I interferon signaling genes in CD4⁺ T cells from acutely HIV-1-infected women is associated with lower viral loads.

ABSTRACT: Sex differences play a role in the pathogenesis of a number of viral diseases. In HIV-1, several studies have reported that chronically infected women have significantly lower plasma viremia than men, although the exact mechanism by which this occurs has yet to be identified. We have performed bulk RNA-seq experiments comparing gene expression between CD4⁺ T cells from acutely HIV-1-infected men and women in Zambia, because we observe lower viral load (VL) despite higher CD4⁺ T-cell activation in these women during acute/early infection. In a univariate analysis, we have identified a number of differentially expressed genes in naïve, central memory, and effector memory CD4 T cells of women with consistent elevated expression of genes linked to type 1 interferon (IFN)

SUBMITTER: El-Badry E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11788160 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature