Title: Circulating Biomarkers of Immune Activation Distinguish Viral Suppression from Nonsuppression in HAART-Treated Patients with Advanced HIV-1 Subtype C Infection
Authors: Malherbe G, Steel HC, Cassol S, de Oliveira T, Seebregts CJ, Anderson R, Cassol E, Rossouw TM..
Journal: Mediators Inflamm.,2014:198413:doi: 10.1155/2014/198413 (2014)

Abstract

Few studies have examined immune activation profiles in patients with advanced HIV-1 subtype C infection or assessed their potential to predict responsiveness to HAART. BioPlex, ELISA, and nephelometric procedures were used to measure plasma levels of inflammatory biomarkers in HIV-1 subtype C-infected patients sampled before and after 6 months of successful HAART (n = 20); in patients failing HAART (n = 30); and in uninfected controls (n = 8).

Prior to HAART, CXCL9, CXCL10, Beta-2M, sTNF-R1, TGF-Beta1, IFN-Alpha, IL-6, TNF, and sCD14 were significantly elevated in HIV-1-infected patients compared to controls (P < 0.01). All of these markers, with the exception of sTNF-R1, were also elevated in patients failing HAART (P < 0.05).

The persistently elevated levels of CXCL9, CXCL10, and Beta-2M in patients failing therapy in the setting of a marked reduction in these markers in patients on successful HAART suggest that they may be useful not only to monitor immune activation during HAART, but also to distinguish between good and poor responders. In the case of sCD14 and TGF- Beta1, the levels of these biomarkers remained persistently elevated despite HAART-induced virological suppression, a finding that is consistent with ongoing monocyte-macrophage activation, underscoring a potential role for adjuvant anti-inflammatory therapy.

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Citation: Malherbe G, Steel HC, Cassol S, de Oliveira T, Seebregts CJ, Anderson R, Cassol E, Rossouw TM.. Circulating Biomarkers of Immune Activation Distinguish Viral Suppression from Nonsuppression in HAART-Treated Patients with Advanced HIV-1 Subtype C Infection Mediators Inflamm.,2014:198413:doi: 10.1155/2014/198413 (2014).