title: Cardiovascular complications and increased levels of circulating modified low density lipoprotein in HIV patients and patients with lipodystrophy.
abstract: The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for patients infected with HIV has significantly prolonged the life expectancy and to some extent has restored a functional immune response. However, the premature introduction of HAART has led to a significant and alarming increase in cardiovascular complications, including myocardial infarction and the appearance of abnormal distribution of body fat seen as lipodystrophy. One key element in the development of ischemic coronary artery disease is the presence of circulating and tissue-fixed modified low density lipoprotein (mLDL) that contributes to the initiation and progression of arterial lesions and to the formation of foam cells. Even though not completely elucidated, the most likely mechanism involves mLDL in the inflammatory response and the induction of a specific immune response against mLDL. Circulating antibodies against mLDL can serve as an indirect marker of the presence of circulating and vessel-fixed mLDL. In the present study, we measured antibodies to mLDL and correlated them with immune status (i.e., number of CD4+ T cells) in 59 HIV patients and with the clinical manifestation of lipodystrophy in 10 patients. We observed a significant reduction in anti-mLDL antibody levels related both to lipodystrophy and to an immunocompromised state in HIV patients. We speculate that these antibodies may explain in part the rapid development of ischemic coronary artery disease in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofisiopatologia, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: K R O M
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Ronchini
authors.forename: A J S
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: J S R
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Casseb
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gidlund
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008060:Lipodystrophy / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL