Thymosin alpha 1 potentiates the release by CD8(+) cells of soluble factors able to inhibit HIV-1 and human T lymphotropic virus 1 infection in vitro

Background: Thymosin alpha-1 (T alpha 1) exploits a specific action on lymphoid cells and is able to induce in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) a strong transcriptional response. CD8 antiviral factor activity plays a role in the control or prevention of HIV-1 infection by a non-cytolytic mechanism. The ability of T alpha 1 to modulate the release of antiretroviral soluble factors by CD8(+) cells was investigated. Methods: Supernatants from lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated CD8(+)-isolated cells treated with T alpha 1 were screened on in vitro infection of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) and PBMCs with HIV-1, and of PBMCs with human T lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1). In CD8+ cells, as well as in PBMCs of healthy donors as from HIV+ individuals, a microarray analysis to assess the transcriptional response after treatment was performed.