The authors would like to thank the HIV Clinical/Tumor Biorepository Core for providing patient samples and the Cellular Immunology Metabolism Core for providing flow cytometry analysis. This project was funded by NIH P20GM121288 and P30GM114732.

All methods described below have been approved by the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans Institutional Review Board. All blood was collected after obtaining informed consent.
NOTE: The entire procedure is performed under sterile conditions in a biosafety level 2 (BSL2) facility so that caution is used to handle biological materials. In particular, each step is performed using sterile techniques under a biosafety cabinet. After each step involving blood, blood product...

<ol>
	<li>Slim, J., Saling, C. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Review+of+Management+of+Inflammation+in+the+HIV+Population.">A Review of Management of Inflammation in the HIV Population.</a> Biomedical Research International. 2016, 3420638 (2016).</li><li>Herskovitz, J., Gendelman, H. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=HIV+and+the+Macrophage:+From+Cell+Reservoirs+to+Drug+Delivery+to+Viral+Eradication.">HIV and the Macrophage: From Cell Reservoirs to Drug Delivery to Viral Eradication.</a> Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. 14 (1), 52-67 (2019).</li><li>Machado Andrade, V., Stevenson, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Host+and+Viral+Factors+Influencing+Interplay+between+the+Macrophage+and+HIV-1.">Host and Viral Factors Influencing Interplay between the Macrophage and HIV-1.</a> Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. 14 (1), 33-43 (2019).</li><li>Merino, K. M., Allers, C., Didier, E. S., Kuroda, M. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+Monocyte/Macrophages+during+HIV/SIV+Infection+in+Adult+and+Pediatric+Acquired+Immune+Deficiency+Syndrome.">Role of Monocyte/Macrophages during HIV/SIV Infection in Adult and Pediatric Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.</a> Frontiers in Immunology. 8, 1693 (2017).</li><li>Wacleche, V. S., Tremblay, C. L., Routy, J. P., Ancuta, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Biology+of+Monocytes+and+Dendritic+Cells:+Contribution+to+HIV+Pathogenesis.">The Biology of Monocytes and Dendritic Cells: Contribution to HIV Pathogenesis.</a> Viruses. 10 (2), (2018).</li><li>Davis, M. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Macrophage+M1/M2+polarization+dynamically+adapts+to+changes+in+cytokine+microenvironments+in+Cryptococcus+neoformans+infection.">Macrophage M1/M2 polarization dynamically adapts to changes in cytokine microenvironments in Cryptococcus neoformans infection.</a> MBio. 4 (3), e00264 (2013).</li><li>Raggi, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regulation+of+Human+Macrophage+M1-M2+Polarization+Balance+by+Hypoxia+and+the+Triggering+Receptor+Expressed+on+Myeloid+Cells-1.">Regulation of Human Macrophage M1-M2 Polarization Balance by Hypoxia and the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1.</a> Frontiers in Immunology. 8, 1097 (2017).</li><li>Van Overmeire, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=M-CSF+and+GM-CSF+Receptor+Signaling+Differentially+Regulate+Monocyte+Maturation+and+Macrophage+Polarization+in+the+Tumor+Microenvironment.">M-CSF and GM-CSF Receptor Signaling Differentially Regulate Monocyte Maturation and Macrophage Polarization in the Tumor Microenvironment.</a> Cancer Research. 76 (1), 35-42 (2016).</li><li>Vogel, D. Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+macrophage+polarization+in+vitro:+maturation+and+activation+methods+compared.">Human macrophage polarization in vitro: maturation and activation methods compared.</a> Immunobiology. 219 (9), 695-703 (2014).</li><li>Almeida, M., Cordero, M., Almeida, J., Orfao, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Different+subsets+of+peripheral+blood+dendritic+cells+show+distinct+phenotypic+and+functional+abnormalities+in+HIV-1+infection.">Different subsets of peripheral blood dendritic cells show distinct phenotypic and functional abnormalities in HIV-1 infection.</a> AIDS. 19 (3), 261-271 (2005).</li><li>Ciesek, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impaired+TRAIL-dependent+cytotoxicity+of+CD1c-positive+dendritic+cells+in+chronic+hepatitis+C+virus+infection.">Impaired TRAIL-dependent cytotoxicity of CD1c-positive dendritic cells in chronic hepatitis C virus infection.</a> Journal of Viral Hepatitis. 15 (3), 200-211 (2008).</li><li>Granelli-Piperno, A., Golebiowska, A., Trumpfheller, C., Siegal, F. 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C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=HIV+infection+induces+age-related+changes+to+monocytes+and+innate+immune+activation+in+young+men+that+persist+despite+combination+antiretroviral+therapy.">HIV infection induces age-related changes to monocytes and innate immune activation in young men that persist despite combination antiretroviral therapy.</a> AIDS. 26 (7), 843-853 (2012).</li><li>Heggelund, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stimulation+of+toll-like+receptor+2+in+mononuclear+cells+from+HIV-infected+patients+induces+chemokine+responses:+possible+pathogenic+consequences.">Stimulation of toll-like receptor 2 in mononuclear cells from HIV-infected patients induces chemokine responses: possible pathogenic consequences.</a> Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 138 (1), 116-121 (2004).</li><li>Hernandez, J. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Up-regulation+of+TLR2+and+TLR4+in+dendritic+cells+in+response+to+HIV+type+1+and+coinfection+with+opportunistic+pathogens.">Up-regulation of TLR2 and TLR4 in dendritic cells in response to HIV type 1 and coinfection with opportunistic pathogens.</a> AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. 27 (10), 1099-1109 (2011).</li><li>Hernandez, J. C., Latz, E., Urcuqui-Inchima, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=HIV-1+induces+the+first+signal+to+activate+the+NLRP3+inflammasome+in+monocyte-derived+macrophages.">HIV-1 induces the first signal to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in monocyte-derived macrophages.</a> Intervirology. 57 (1), 36-42 (2014).</li><li>Low, H. Z., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=TLR8+regulation+of+LILRA3+in+monocytes+is+abrogated+in+human+immunodeficiency+virus+infection+and+correlates+to+CD4+counts+and+virus+loads.">TLR8 regulation of LILRA3 in monocytes is abrogated in human immunodeficiency virus infection and correlates to CD4 counts and virus loads.</a> Retrovirology. 13, 15 (2016).</li><li>Sachdeva, M., Sharma, A., Arora, S. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+Impairment+of+Myeloid+Dendritic+Cells+during+Advanced+Stage+of+HIV-1+Infection:+Role+of+Factors+Regulating+Cytokine+Signaling.">Functional Impairment of Myeloid Dendritic Cells during Advanced Stage of HIV-1 Infection: Role of Factors Regulating Cytokine Signaling.</a> PLoS ONE. 10 (10), e0140852 (2015).</li><li>Sachdeva, M., Sharma, A., Arora, S. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Increased+expression+of+negative+regulators+of+cytokine+signaling+during+chronic+HIV+disease+cause+functionally+exhausted+state+of+dendritic+cells.">Increased expression of negative regulators of cytokine signaling during chronic HIV disease cause functionally exhausted state of dendritic cells.</a> Cytokine. 91, 118-123 (2017).</li><li>Bartel, D. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=MicroRNAs:+genomics,+biogenesis,+mechanism,+and+function.">MicroRNAs: genomics, biogenesis, mechanism, and function.</a> Cell. 116 (2), 281-297 (2004).</li><li>Li, H., Jiang, T., Li, M. Q., Zheng, X. L., Zhao, G. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transcriptional+Regulation+of+Macrophages+Polarization+by+MicroRNAs.">Transcriptional Regulation of Macrophages Polarization by MicroRNAs.</a> Frontiers in Immunology. 9, 1175 (2018).</li><li>Hu, X., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Genome-Wide+Analyses+of+MicroRNA+Profiling+in+Interleukin-27+Treated+Monocyte-Derived+Human+Dendritic+Cells+Using+Deep+Sequencing:+A+Pilot+Study.">Genome-Wide Analyses of MicroRNA Profiling in Interleukin-27 Treated Monocyte-Derived Human Dendritic Cells Using Deep Sequencing: A Pilot Study.</a> International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 18 (5), (2017).</li><li>Huang, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=MicroRNA+miR-126-5p+Enhances+the+Inflammatory+Responses+of+Monocytes+to+Lipopolysaccharide+Stimulation+by+Suppressing+Cylindromatosis+in+Chronic+HIV-1+Infection.">MicroRNA miR-126-5p Enhances the Inflammatory Responses of Monocytes to Lipopolysaccharide Stimulation by Suppressing Cylindromatosis in Chronic HIV-1 Infection.</a> Journal of Virology. 91 (10), (2017).</li><li>Lodge, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Host+MicroRNAs-221+and+-222+Inhibit+HIV-1+Entry+in+Macrophages+by+Targeting+the+CD4+Viral+Receptor.">Host MicroRNAs-221 and -222 Inhibit HIV-1 Entry in Macrophages by Targeting the CD4 Viral Receptor.</a> Cell Reports. 21 (1), 141-153 (2017).</li><li>Ma, L., Shen, C. J., Cohen, E. A., Xiong, S. D., Wang, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=miRNA-1236+inhibits+HIV-1+infection+of+monocytes+by+repressing+translation+of+cellular+factor+VprBP.">miRNA-1236 inhibits HIV-1 infection of monocytes by repressing translation of cellular factor VprBP.</a> PLoS ONE. 9 (6), e99535 (2014).</li><li>Riess, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Interferons+Induce+Expression+of+SAMHD1+in+Monocytes+through+Down-regulation+of+miR-181a+and+miR-30a.">Interferons Induce Expression of SAMHD1 in Monocytes through Down-regulation of miR-181a and miR-30a.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 292 (1), 264-277 (2017).</li><li>Buchacher, T., Ohradanova-Repic, A., Stockinger, H., Fischer, M. 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C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Defining+GM-CSF-+and+macrophage-CSF-dependent+macrophage+responses+by+in+vitro+models.">Defining GM-CSF- and macrophage-CSF-dependent macrophage responses by in vitro models.</a> Journal of Immunology. 188 (11), 5752-5765 (2012).</li><li>Tarique, A. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phenotypic,+functional,+and+plasticity+features+of+classical+and+alternatively+activated+human+macrophages.">Phenotypic, functional, and plasticity features of classical and alternatively activated human macrophages.</a> American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 53 (5), 676-688 (2015).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

The presented protocol demonstrates the use of primary cells from HIV-infected subjects as a model for studying monocytes and macrophages. HIV+ patients undergoing cART live with infection for multiple years and can also have other co-infections related a compromised immune system. To study immunomodulation in the presence of HIV chronic infection, cells were harvested from patients directly. As miRNAs have been shown to play major roles in cell development and differentiation, the protocol focuses on the abil...

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection causes severe immune dysfunction, which can lead to opportunistic infections and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Although HIV-infected patients undergoing cART are characterized by low viral loads and normal CD4+ T cell counts, functioning of the immune system can be compromised in these individuals, leading to a dysfunctional immune response that has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer1. The mechanisms of immune dysfunction in HIV patients on cART remain largely unknown. Therefore, characterizing patient-derived immune cells and investigating their biology and function is a critical component of current HIV research.
Monocytes and macrophages are key regulators of immune responses and play fundamental roles in HIV infection2,3,4,5. Heterogeneous and plastic in nature, macrophages can be broadly classified into classically activated (M1) or alternatively activated (M2). While this general classification is necessary when setting up experimental conditions, the polarization status of macrophages may be reversed by a variety of cytokines6,7,8,9. Although several studies have investigated the effects of HIV infection on monocytes and dendritic cells, molecular details of monocyte-mediated responses are largely unknown6,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19. Among the factors involved in immune cell regulation and function, microRNAs (miRNAs), short non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression, have been shown to play an important role in the context of major cellular pathways (i.e., growth, differentiation, development, and apoptosis)20. These molecules have been described as important regulators of transcription factors essential for dictating the functional polarization of macrophages21. The potential role of miRNAs in monocytes from HIV-infected individuals undergoing cART has been investigated, but progress in the field requires much more work22,23,24,25,26. This paper discusses an optimized method to transfect miRNAs and siRNAs into primary human monocytes from HIV-infected patients and controls.
This protocol relies on commercially available reagents and kits, as continuity in the technical procedure helps eliminate unnecessary experimental variables when working with clinical samples. Nonetheless, the method provides important tips (i.e., the number of cells plated or brief incubation with serum-free media to promote the adherence of cells to the plate). Additionally, the polarization conditions used in this protocol are derived from published work27,28,29.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>0.5M EDTA</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>AM9260G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD Vacutainer Plastic Blood Collection Tubes with K2EDTA</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>366643</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Brilliant Stain Buffer</td>
			<td>BD Horizon</td>
			<td>563794</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD14 PerCP</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>46-0149-42</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry- conjugated antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD163 BV711</td>
			<td>BD Horizon</td>
			<td>563889</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry- conjugated antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD209 BV421</td>
			<td>BD Horizon</td>
			<td>564127</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry- conjugated antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD80 FITC</td>
			<td>BD Horizon</td>
			<td>557226</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry- conjugated antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CD83 APC</td>
			<td>BD Horizon</td>
			<td>551073</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry- conjugated antibody</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Easy 50 EasySep Magnet</td>
			<td>StemCell Technologies</td>
			<td>18002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Easy Sep Direct Human Monocyte Isolation Kit</td>
			<td>StemCell Technologies</td>
			<td>19669</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EIF4EBP1 mAb</td>
			<td>Cell Signaling</td>
			<td>9644</td>
			<td>Monoclonal antibody for Western blot</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EIF4EBP1 siRNA</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>sc-29594</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovin Serum Defined Heat Inactivated</td>
			<td>Hyclone</td>
			<td>SH30070.03HI</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gallios Flow Cytometer</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td>B43618</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GAPDH mAb</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>SC-47724</td>
			<td>Monoclonal antibody for Western blot</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HuFcR Binding Inhibitor</td>
			<td>eBiosciences</td>
			<td>14-9161-73</td>
			<td>Flow cytometry- blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kaluza Analysis Software</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td>B16406</td>
			<td>Software to analyze flow cytometry data</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli O55:B5</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>L4524</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>miRCURY LNA microRNA Mimic hsa-miR-146a-5p</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>YM00472124</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MISSION miRNA Negative Control</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>HMC0002</td>
			<td>Scrambled miRNA conjugated with a near infrared dye</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nunc 35mm Cell Culture Dish</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>150318</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>20012027</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15140122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Human GM-CSF</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>215-GM-050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Human IFN-&#947;</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>285-IF-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Human IL-4</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>204-IL-010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Human M-CSF</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>216-MC-025</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RPMI 1640 with L-Glutamine</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>10040CVMP</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scrambled Control siRNA</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>sc-37007</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Viromer Blue Transfection Reagent Kit</td>
			<td>Lipocalyx</td>
			<td>VB-01LB-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>WST-1 Cell Proliferation Reagent</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>5015944001</td>
			<td>Colorimetric assay to assess cell viability</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

isolation, transfection, and culture of primary human monocytes

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major health concern despite the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in the mid-1990s. While antiretroviral therapy efficiently lowers systemic viral load and restores normal CD4+ T cell counts, it does not reconstitute a completely functional immune system. A dysfunctional immune system in HIV-infected individuals undergoing cART may be characterized by immune activation, early aging of immune cells, or persistent inflammation. These conditions, along with comorbid factors associated with HIV infection, add complexity to the disease, which cannot be easily reproduced in cellular and animal models. To investigate the molecular events underlying immune dysfunction in these patients, a system to culture and manipulate human primary monocytes in vitro is presented here. Specifically, the protocol allows for the culture and transfection of primary CD14+ monocytes obtained from HIV-infected individuals undergoing cART as well as from HIV-negative controls. The method involves isolation, culture, and transfection of monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages. While commercially available kits and reagents are employed, the protocol provides important tips and optimized conditions for successful adherence and transfection of monocytes with miRNA mimics and inhibitors as well as with siRNAs.

Using the procedure described, primary human monocytes from HIV-infected individuals and healthy donors were isolated. All data presented here were obtained from HIV+ subjects undergoing cART with low (&#60;20 copies/mL) or undetectable viral loads and normal CD4+ T cell counts. Immediately after isolation, cells were stained, and flow cytometry was performed to confirm the purity of cell populations. Results showed that &#62;97% of cells stained positive for CD14 (d...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation, Transfection, and Culture of Primary Human Monocytes at JoVE.com

Isolation, Transfection, and Culture of Primary Human Monocytes

Presented here is an optimized protocol for isolating, culturing, transfecting, and differentiating human primary monocytes from HIV-infected individuals and healthy controls.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major health concern despite the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in the mid-1990s. ...

HIV infection causes immune dysfunction even in individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy with no detectable virus. This method allows for the study of monocyte function which are key regulators of the immune response. We have optimized this technique for the isolation, culture, and transfection of human primary monocytes.We use this method to understand the molecular mechanisms of immune dysfunction in HIV infected individuals, but it can be applied to any other immune studies involving monocytes. If this is your first time working with human blood, remember to follow the proper biosafety protocols and to treat all of the samples as possibly infectious material. After collecting 40 milliliters of fresh human whole blood in four 10 milliliter EDTA vacuum tubes, use sterile technique to transfer all of the blood into a single 50 milliliter conical propylene tube in a biosafety cabinet.Following the manufacturer's instructions from a selected human monocyte isolation kit, add two milliliters of monocyte isolation cocktail from the kit to the tube of blood and vortex the magnetic beads from the kit for 30 seconds. Add two milliliters of beads to the blood and use a 25 milliliter serological pipette to carefully mix the beads with the blood. After five minutes at room temperature, split the blood equally between four 50 milliliter tubes and add 30 milliliters of sterile PBS supplemented with one millimolar EDTA to each tube.Mix again with a plastic 25 milliliter serological pipette and place the tubes in magnetic holders. After 10 minutes, use a pipette to draw up the contents from the center of each tube taking care not to aspirate more than one milliliter of red blood cells and dispense the tube contents into one of four new 50 milliliter tubes. Add 500 additional microliters of the vortexed magnetic beads to each tube and gently mix the cell solution.Place the tubes back into the magnetic holders for five minutes before carefully transferring the contents from the center of each tube into one of four new 50 milliliter tubes. When all of the cell suspensions have been transferred, place each new 50 milliliter tube into the magnet holders for five minutes before carefully transferring the tube contents into a third set of four new 50 milliliter tubes. Then collect the cells by centrifugation and resuspend all four cell pellets in a total of 10 milliliters of sterile PBS for counting.After counting, resuspend the isolated monocytes at a one times 10 to the sixth cells per milliliter of 37 degrees Celsius serum-free RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with antibiotics and plate one milliliter of resuspended cells into 35 millimeter plates in a biosafety cabinet. Then place the plates in the cell culture incubator for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the cells to adhere to the well bottoms. To prime for macrophages with an M1-like phenotype, add 100 microliters of fetal bovine serum containing 25 nanograms per milliliter of GM-CSF to each plate.To prime for macrophages with an M2-like phenotype, add 100 microliters of fetal bovine containing 50 nanograms per milliliter of M-CSF to each plate. For monocyte transfection with microRNA mimics, inhibitors, or a small interfering RNA, following the manufacturer's protocol for the transfection kit, dilute the selected RNAs in the buffer to a final concentration of 1.83 micromolar in 10 microliters of diluted mimic or inhibitor per transfection of one times 10 to the fifth cells volume. To prepare the transfection reagent, add one microliter of the provided polymer to a 1.5 milliliter microcentrifuge tube and immediately add 90 microliters of the kit-provided buffer to obtain a total of 91 microliters of reagent per transfection.Vortex the regent for three to five seconds and pipette 90 microliters of the transfection solution into the tube containing 10 microliters of diluted RNA. After gentle mixing, incubate the solution for 15 minutes at room temperature before adding 100 microliters of transfection complex to one well of cells. After four hours at 37 degrees Celsius, replace the medium with three milliliters of complete medium containing the appropriate growth factor.On day six of culture, replace the culture supernatants from the M1 cultures with three milliliters of medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum, antibiotics, lipopolysaccharide, and interferon gamma and replace the supernatants from the M2 cultures with medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum, antibiotics, M-CSF, and interleukin-4. After 24 hours of culture, wash each plate of activated macrophages two times with fresh PBS per wash. For RNA and protein analyses, lyse the attached cells directly in the plates to allow collection of the released cell contents for their analysis.For flow cytometric analysis, detach the cells with two millimolar EDTA in PBS for 10 minutes at 37 degrees Celsius before gently scraping the cells from the plate bottoms to allow their collection into 1.5 milliliter microcentrifuge tubes for their analysis. Here representative histograms of M1-activated control and patient-derived cells with increased levels of CD80 and CD83 and M2-activated cells with increased levels of CD163 and CD209 as compared to non-activated T0 cells are shown. Interestingly, CD80 and CD83 appeared to be more highly expressed in control-derived cells compared to HIV-derived cells.The transfection of freshly collected monocytes with a scrambled near-infrared labeled microRNA results in a greater than 90%efficiency of transfection as determined by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. In addition, transfection does not significantly reduce the viability of patient-derived or control cells regardless of the stage of cell maturation or the transfection conditions. Transfection results in an effective downregulation of the target gene upon transfection with the specific small interfering RNA at both day one and day four post-isolation.Further, cells transfected with microRNA mimic demonstrate a 48 to 72-fold increase in microRNA expression over untransfected cells while all of the transfection controls show no appreciable changes. The number of cells plated is critical for survival. We recommend one million cells per 35 millimeter dish.Plating in serum-free medium will also greatly improve the cell attachment. Cells obtained with this method can be treated with cytokines or growth factors to study differential responses in patients of interest and healthy controls.

isolation-transfection-and-culture-of-primary-human-monocytes

Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

13.0K Views.  Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. HIV infection causes immune dysfunction even in individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy with no detectable virus. This method allows for the study of monocyte function which are key regulators of the immune response. We have optimized this technique for the isolation, culture, and transfection of human primary monocytes.We use this method to understand the molecular mechanisms of immune dysfunction in HIV infected individuals, but it can be applied to any other immune studies inv...