Short communication: decreasing soluble CD30 and increasing IFN-gamma plasma levels are indicators of effective highly active antiretroviral therapy.
It was previously reported that without highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), secretion of Th1 cytokines and antiviral IFN-gamma in HIV-infected patients is decreased, whereas the production of Th2 cytokines, proinflammatory cytokines, and TNF-alpha is increased. We studied the effect of HAART on Th1-, Th2-, and monocyte-derived cytokines, and on the Th2-type immune response marker soluble (s)CD30 in HIV-1-infected hemophilia patients. Viral Load (VL), CD4+ lymphocyte counts, and plasma levels of sIL-1RA, IL-2, sIL-2R, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, sIL-6R, IL-7, IL-10, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta2, IFN-gamma, and sCD30 were measured in 18 patients who received HAART. Nine patients were initially treatment-naive and were monitored after the initiation of HAART. sCD30 median levels were significantly higher in treatment-naive patients than in patients who were on HAART (77 vs. 30 U/ml, p = 0.005). A strong association was observed between sCD30 and VL (r = 0.85, p = 0.004). After the initiation of HAART, sCD30 levels decreased and remained low (at 1 year, 38; at 2 years, 41 U/ml; p = 0.012 and p = 0.021, respectively, as compared to baseline level) and this was accompanied by a decrease in VL and monocyte-derived IL-6 and an increase in CD4+ lymphocyte counts and Th1-derived IFN-gamma. One year after the initiation of HAART a strong inverse correlation was observed between IFN-gamma and VL (r = -0.83, p = 0.006). In contrast to sCD30 and IFN-gamma, CD4 counts and plasma IL-6 did not correlate with VL at any time. Our data suggest that decreasing sCD30 and increasing IFN-gamma plasma levels are indicators of effective HAART treatment and CD4 Th1 cell recovery in HIV-infected patients.
Department of Transplantation Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Mahmoud.Sadeghi@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Mahmoud
M
Sadeghi
Caner
C
Süsal
Volker
V
Daniel
Cord
C
Naujokat
Rainer
R
Zimmermann
Angela
A
Huth-Kühne
Gerhard
G
Opelz
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015415:Biomarkers; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma