Mechanisms of HIV Control: Does CD73 Have a Role?

CD73 — a molecule found on the surface of T cells — has multiple functions, including hydrolysis of extracellular adenosine monophosphate into adenosine, which inhibits T-cell proliferation. In previous studies, HIV-infected patients were found to have low levels of CD73 on their T cells, which may play a role in modulating T-cell function and activation. Now, researchers in France have examined the role of CD73 in HIV-infected elite controllers — patients who maintain low-to-undetectable HIV RNA levels without taking antiretroviral therapy (ART).

CD73 expression was measured on CD8 cells from blood samples of 16 HIV-infected patients who were not receiving ART (mean viral load [VL], 100,000 copies/mL), 16 infected patients who were on suppr…