CD14brightCD16- monocytes and sCD14 level negatively associate with CD4-memory T-cell frequency and predict HCV-decline on therapy

During HIV+HCV+ co-infection CD14 bright CD16 - -monocytes produce soluble immune-activation markers that predict disease-progression and poor IFNα-treatment response. We evaluated relationships among immune-activation, monocyte phenotype, CD4-memory T-cells and HCV-, CMV- and CMV/EBV/Influenza (CEF)-specific IFNγ-response, before and during IFNα-treatment. Effector-memory and central-memory CD4-T-cell frequencies were lower in HCV+HIV+ than uninfected-donors, and correlated negatively with HCV-level, CD14 bright CD16 - -monocytes and plasma sCD14. sCD14 and CD14 bright CD16 - monocytes negatively correlated with IFNα-dependent HCV-decline. sCD14 negatively associated with and CD4 effector-memory T-cells positively-associated with CEF-specific IFNγ-response. These data support a role for memory-CD4 T-cells in HCV-containment, and link immune-activation and CD14 bright CD16 - -monocyte frequency to failure of interferon-dependent HCV-clearance.