Immunological Profile of HIV-Infected Patients with Tuberculosis Associated- Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Objective: This study systematically reviews the literature that describes the immunological profile associated with the development of tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) in HIVinfected individuals. Methods: Between the primary and secondary searches, a total of 20 articles were selected for the final analysis. Results: The results obtained herein indicated that TB-IRIS was associated with the recovery of Mtb-specific immune response, demonstrated by an increased frequency of specific IFN-g-producing cells and specific multifunctional T-lymphocytes (TNF and IFN-γ-producing). In addition, an increased production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines was found in TB-IRIS patients compared to non-IRIS individuals. Conclusion: These data suggest that expansion of Mtb-specific cells may not be the main factor for the occurrence of IRIS. Further studies are needed to better evaluate the dynamic of restoration of Mtb-specific memory cells and to clarify the role of innate immune responses in immunopathogenesis of TB-IRIS patients.