title: Enhanced secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients.
abstract: Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) has been found to possess activity against the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro at physiological concentrations. A study was undertaken to evaluate SLPI levels in human saliva and plasma among HIV-positive (HIV(+)) patients with various HIV-1 viral loads in comparison to uninfected controls. Whole blood in EDTA and unstimulated saliva samples were collected from 37 HIV(+) patients, of whom 20 had a history of intravenous drug abuse (IVDA). Control samples were collected from 20 appropriate age- and sex-matched HIV-1-negative individuals. SLPI was estimated from both saliva and serum samples by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. HIV viral load was determined using a quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. SLPI levels were increased 16.7% in plasma and 10.3% in saliva among HIV(+) patients in comparison to uninfected controls. SLPI levels were increased 5.9% in saliva and 3.9% in plasma among HIV(+) patients with a high viral load (>10,000 copies/ml) as compared to patients with a low viral load (<400 copies/ml). Only 23% of patients with a high viral load used combination therapy with protease inhibitor drugs, whereas 92.9% of HIV(+) patients with a low viral load used protease inhibitors. SLPI levels did not differ significantly among the IVDA patients, patients with different viral loads, or patients using protease inhibitor drugs. There was a statistically significant increase in SLPI levels in saliva among HIV patients in comparison to non-HIV-infected controls. An increase in SLPI levels among HIV(+) patients may be a natural consequence of HIV pathogenesis and an important factor in preventing oral transmission of HIV, but this increase may not be evident during plasma viremia in patients with a high viral load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. aab001@dental.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Baqui
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Meiller
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Falkler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000821:virology; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins; C506814:SLPI protein, human; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor