title: Inflammatory co-morbidities in HIV+ individuals: learning lessons from healthy ageing.
abstract: Increased life expectancy due to improved efficacy of cART has uncovered an increased risk of age-related morbidities in HIV+ individuals and catalyzed significant research into mechanisms driving these diseases. HIV infection increases the risk of non-communicable diseases common in the aged, including cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive decline, non-AIDS malignancies, osteoporosis, and frailty. These observations suggest that HIV accelerates immunological ageing, and there are many immunological similarities with the aged, including shortened telomeres, accumulation of senescent T cells and altered monocyte phenotype/function. However, the most critical similarity between HIV+ individuals and the elderly, which most likely underpins the heightened risk of non-communicable diseases, is chronic inflammation and associated immune activation. Here, we review the similarities between HIV+ individuals and the aged regarding the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, the current evidence for mechanisms driving these processes and discuss current and potential therapeutic strategies for addressing inflammatory co-morbidity in HIV+ infection.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute, GPO Box 2248, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia, annah@burnet.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hearps
authors.forename: Genevieve E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Reena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajasuriar
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Crowe
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015897:Comorbidity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology