title: Increased plasma levels of extracellular mitochondrial DNA during HIV infection: a new role for mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns during inflammation.
abstract: HIV infection is characterized by a chronic inflammatory state. Recently, it has been shown that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) released from damaged or dead cells can bind Toll like receptor-9 (TLR9), an intracellular receptor that responds to bacterial or viral DNA molecules. The activation of TLR9 present within monocytes or neutrophils results in a potent inflammatory reaction, with the production of proinflammatory cytokines. We measured plasma levels of mtDNA in different groups of HIV(+) patients, i.e., those experiencing an acute HIV infection (AHI), long term non progressors (LTNP), late presenters (LP) taking antiretroviral therapy for the first time, and healthy controls. We found that in AHI and LP mtDNA plasma levels were significantly higher than in healthy individuals or in LTNP. Plasma mtDNA levels were not correlated to peripheral blood CD4(+) T cell count, nor to markers of immune activation, but had a significant correlation with plasma viral load, revealing a possible role for mtDNA in inflammation, or as a biomarker of virus-induced damage.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy. andrea.cossarizza@unimore.it
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Cossarizza
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Pinti
authors: Milena
authors: M
authors: Nasi
authors: Lara
authors: L
authors: Gibellini
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Manzini
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Roat
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: De Biasi
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Bertoncelli
authors: Jonas P
authors: JP
authors: Montagna
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Bisi
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Manzini
authors: Tommaso
authors: T
authors: Trenti
authors: Vanni
authors: V
authors: Borghi
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Mussini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors