HIV persists in latently infected CD4+ T cells during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Immune checkpoint molecules, including PD-1, are preferentially expressed at the surface of persistently infected cells. However, whether PD-1 plays a functional role in HIV latency and reservoir persistence remains unknown. Using CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected individuals, we show that the engagement of PD-1 inhibits viral production at the transcriptional level and abrogates T-cell receptor (TCR)-induced HIV reactivation in latently infected cells. Conversely, PD-1 blockade with the monoclonal antibody pembrolizumab enhances HIV production in combination with the latency reversing agent bryostatin without increasing T cell activation. Our results suggest that the administration of immune checkpoint blockers to HIV-infected individuals on ART may facilitate latency disruption. View Publication

In life sciences, the material properties of suspended cells have attained significance close to that of fluorescent markers but with the advantage of label-free and unbiased sample characterization. Until recently, cell rheological measurements were either limited by acquisition throughput, excessive post processing, or low-throughput real-time analysis. Real-time deformability cytometry expanded the application of mechanical cell assays to fast on-the-fly phenotyping of large sample sizes, but has been restricted to single material parameters as the Young's modulus. Here, we introduce dynamic real-time deformability cytometry for comprehensive cell rheological measurements at up to 100 cells per second. Utilizing Fourier decomposition, our microfluidic method is able to disentangle cell response to complex hydrodynamic stress distributions and to determine viscoelastic parameters independent of cell shape. We demonstrate the application of our technology for peripheral blood cells in whole blood samples including the discrimination of B- and CD4+ T-lymphocytes by cell rheological properties. View Publication

The role of intermediate methylation states in DNA is unclear. Here, to comprehensively identify regions of intermediate methylation and their quantitative relationship with gene activity, we apply integrative and comparative epigenomics to 25 human primary cell and tissue samples. We report 18,452 intermediate methylation regions located near 36% of genes and enriched at enhancers, exons and DNase I hypersensitivity sites. Intermediate methylation regions average 57% methylation, are predominantly allele-independent and are conserved across individuals and between mouse and human, suggesting a conserved function. These regions have an intermediate level of active chromatin marks and their associated genes have intermediate transcriptional activity. Exonic intermediate methylation correlates with exon inclusion at a level between that of fully methylated and unmethylated exons, highlighting gene context-dependent functions. We conclude that intermediate DNA methylation is a conserved signature of gene regulation and exon usage. View Publication