Circulating integrin α4 β7+ CD4 T cells are enriched for proliferative transcriptional programs in HIV infection

Abstract

HIV preferentially infects α₄ β₇⁺ CD4 T cells, forming latent reservoirs that contribute to HIV persistence during antiretroviral therapy. However, the properties of α₄ β₇⁺ CD4 T cells in blood and mucosal compartments remain understudied. Employing two distinct models of HIV infection, HIV-infected humans and simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-infected rhesus macaques, we show that α₄ β₇⁺ CD4 T cells in blood are enriched for genes regulating cell cycle progression and cellular metabolism. Unlike their circulating counterparts, rectal α₄ β₇⁺ CD4 T cells exhibited a core tissue-residency gene expression program. These features were conserved across primate species, indicating that the environment influences memory T-cell transcriptional networks. Our findings provide an important molecular foundation for understanding the role of α₄ β₇ in HIV infection.

Keywords: HIV; integrin α4; rectal mucosa; susceptibility; tissue resident memory T cells; β7 CD4 T cells.