Increased serum concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in HIV-infected individuals are associated with immune activation.
Serum concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNF-Rs) were measured in 61 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. Thirty-five percent of these had increased serum concentrations of sTNF-R type I (p55) (sTNF-R55) and 82% had increased concentrations of sTNF-R type II (p75) (sTNF-R75). The extent of the increase of sTNF-R75 was greater in more advanced HIV infection (p = 0.046) as it was measured by dividing the 61 individuals into two groups according to the median of the CD4+ T-cell count. However, the increase in concentrations of sTNF-R55 in the group with a CD4+ T-cell count below the median was only moderate and did not reach statistical significance. A strong correlation was found between sTNF-R75 and the soluble immune activation markers beta 2-microglobulin (rs = 0.74, p < 0.0001) and urinary neopterin (rs = 0.67, p < 0.0001), and a less strong correlation was found with interferon-gamma (rs = 0.51, p = 0.0001). The correlations observed for sTNF-R55 were also significant but were always weaker than that of sTNF-R75. A weak inverse correlation was found between the number of CD4+ T cells and sTNF-R75 (rs = -0.33, p = 0.012), but no such correlation was observed with sTNF-R55. Our findings suggest that increased concentrations of serum sTNF-Rs in HIV infection are linked to immune activation, in which synergistic actions of interferon-gamma and the TNF-alpha system are likely to play an important role.
Zangerle
R
R
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Gallati
H
H
Sarcletti
M
M
Weiss
G
G
Denz
H
H
Wachter
H
H
Fuchs
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000652:urine; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007110:Immunity, Active; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D007371:Interferon-gamma