Fosamprenavir treatment in a highly active antiretroviral therapy schedule induces a HCV-RNA decrease and a Th1 network boost in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.
HIV/HCV co-infected naïve patients (four females and six males) were evaluated for their response to the following treatment schedule: [(AZT 300 mg + 3TC 300 mg twice daily) + (fosamprenavir 700 mg twice daily) + (RTV 100 mg)]. CD3+/CD4+ T cells, interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) HCV-specific response, viral loads and transaminase levels were evaluated at time 0, and after 1, 3 and 6 months of therapy (T0, T1, T3, and T6 respectively). HIV-RNA, HCV-RNA and transaminases decreased at T1 and T3 compared with T0 (Mann-Whitney p <0.001, p <0.01 and p <0.01, respectively). At all time points, CD4+ and HCV-specific INF-gamma responses were higher (p <0.001; p <0.001), and IL-4 lower (p <0.01) after treatment. At T6, HCV-RNA was only negative in four out of ten patients whereas all had normal transaminase levels. These findings indicate that HAART treatment including fosamprenavir is able to activate a Th1 network in HIV/HCV co-infected patients. Moreover, these results, to be confirmed by larger cohort follow-up studies, suggest that this protease inhibitor could have potential implications for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-positive patients.
Perrella
A
A
Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Hospital D.Cotugno Naples, Naples, Italy. alex.perrel@virgilio.it
Sbreglia
C
C
D'Antonio
A
A
Atripaldi
L
L
Perrella
O
O
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002219:Carbamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005663:Furans; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D002219:Carbamates; D005663:Furans; D010755:Organophosphates; D012367:RNA, Viral; D013449:Sulfonamides; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000637:Transaminases; C426859:fosamprenavir