title: Quantitation of reduced glutathione and cysteine in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
abstract: Plasma viral load (VL) values and CD4(+) cell count are employed clinically for initiation of therapy in the treatment of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as previous clinical studies have shown a marked prevalence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) development in seropositive individuals with VL values over 30 000 copies/mL. Many studies have shown that reduced glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys) deficiency play an important role in the infection. We have developed capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE)-based assays and have used them to investigate the relationship between plasma and intracellular thiol levels and HIV-1 viremia in plasma. Blood samples from healthy volunteers and seropositive patients undergoing different antiretroviral regimes were analyzed in the study. The VL assay was based on CZE-UV detection of viral RNA at 260 nm. Determination of endogenous reduced Cys and GSH was achieved by CZE-UV detection of their mercurial complexes at 200 nm. We found that a decrease in GSH and Cys levels may be associated with disease progress. In fact, reduced GSH and Cys levels appear progressively reduced with increasing VL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Of Texas Medical Branch, 1.104 Keiller Building, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA. elsbrana@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sbrana
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paladini
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Spinetti
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raspi
mesh_terms: D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003545:Cysteine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006678:HIV / Q000737:chemistry*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D005978:Glutathione; D003545:Cysteine