Platelets Target the Circulating HIV Reservoir: Implications for Immunological Failure

NCT07745530 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: CHT/URC/2023/10
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

HIV/AIDS is a chronic disease that is difficult to eradicate because the virus persists as proviral DNA integrated into the host cells. Despite antiretroviral therapy, proviral DNA persists in lymphoid and myeloid reservoirs, whether circulating (memory CD4+ T cells) or tissue-based (macrophages). HIV reservoirs are highly heterogeneous, making it difficult to identify a specific biomarker or cell profile for a given reservoir. A distinctive feature of HIV reservoirs may be the selective interaction between reservoir cells and platelets. The presence of HIV in platelets could impact disease progression, particularly by triggering the reversal of HIV latency and leading to residual viral production. The frequency of platelets containing circulating virus in the blood is approximately 0.1% of the total platelet volume. Although seemingly negligible, this would represent a daily input of 10⁸ platelets harboring the virus. Furthermore, patients whose platelets contain HIV are primarily those with persistent immunological failure, known as "immunological non-responders" (InR). The regulation of the size (number and frequency) of the HIV reservoir by platelets is not known. However, HIV-containing platelets form more conjugates with CD4+ T cells than HIV-free platelets. While HIV-containing platelets do not productively infect cells, they induce metabolic dysfunction in CD4+ T cells (aerobic glycolysis). Increased aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of T cell activation and senescence. This suggests an interconnection between the presence of the virus in platelets, the size of the reservoir, and immune dysfunction in HIV.

Conditions

HIV

Keywords

hiv; platelet

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• In vivo evaluation of the formation of platelet-PBMC conjugates enriched in latent or active reservoirs and of their transcriptional competence

  In vivo evaluation of the formation of platelet-PBMC conjugates enriched in latent or active reservoirs, correlated with immune status through the following parameters: Frequency of CD4+ T lymphocytes associated with platelets and/or platelet components, Frequency of platelet-associated CD4+ T cells carrying HIV RNA, and ex vivo HIV reactivation; Number of integrated HIV provirus copies in CD4+ T cells associated or not with platelets. Monitoring of the transcriptional competence of platelet-associated reservoirs ex vivo, and the capacity of platelets to reactivate these reservoirs (latency reversal) in vitro based on the following criterion: Frequency of J-Lat GFP+ cells (indicating a reactivated provirus in this reporter cell) after coculture with platelets obtained from individuals of the different experimental groups.

  at enrollment

Study Arms (3)

Immunological non-responders 1

EXPERIMENTAL

Immunological non-responders (\<500 CD4+ T cells/µL, undetectable viral load for \>2 years) with a CD4+ T cell nadir below 100.

Other: blood sampling

Immunological responders

EXPERIMENTAL

Immunological responders (\>500 CD4+ T cells/µL, undetectable viral load for \>2 years)

Other: blood sampling

Immunological non-responders 2

EXPERIMENTAL

Immunological non-responders (\<500 CD4+ T cells/µL, undetectable viral load for \>2 years) with a CD4+ T cell nadir between 200 and 500

Other: blood sampling

Interventions

blood sampling OTHER

During a routine consultation, a specific 40 mL blood sample will be collected for the study.

Immunological non-responders 1; Immunological non-responders 2; Immunological responders

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adult patients living with HIV with an undetectable viral load for more than 2 years
• Beneficiary of a social security scheme or rightful claimant;
• Patients able to read and understand the information sheet;
• Having signed the consent form.

You may not qualify if:

• being unable to give free and informed consent;
• pregnant or breastfeeding woman;
• being under guardianship, curatorship, or a protection mandate;

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tourcoing Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing

Tourcoing, 59200, France

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Interventions

Blood Specimen Collection

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

HIV Infections; Blood-Borne Infections; Communicable Diseases; Infections; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Lentivirus Infections; Retroviridae Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Slow Virus Diseases; Genital Diseases; Urogenital Diseases; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; Immune System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Specimen Handling; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Punctures; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Investigative Techniques

Study Officials

• Olivier Robineau, MD, PhD

  Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Jean-Jacques VITAGLIANO, PhD

CONTACT

+33320694280; jjvitagliano@ch-tourcoing.fr

VITAGLIANO

CONTACT

0320694280; jjvitagliano@ch-tourcoing.fr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 29, 2026
• First Posted: August 4, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: August 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Locations

FR (1)