title: Self antigen prognostic for human immunodeficiency virus disease progression.
abstract: We have recently found that an extracellular protein, alpha(1) proteinase inhibitor (alpha(1)PI; alpha(1) antitrypsin), is required for in vitro human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectivity outcome. We show here in a study of HIV-seropositive patients that decreased viral load is significantly correlated with decreased circulating alpha(1)PI. In the asymptomatic category of HIV disease, 100% of patients manifest deficient levels of active alpha(1)PI, a condition known to lead to degenerative lung diseases and a dramatically reduced life span. Further, HIV-associated alpha(1)PI deficiency is correlated with circulating anti-alpha(1)PI immunoglobulin G. These results suggest that preventing HIV-associated alpha(1)PI deficiency may provide a strategic target for preventing HIV-associated pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA. bristoc@mail.rockefeller.edu
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bristow
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Arnold
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011379:Prognosis; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000276:immunology*; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin