title: LL-37 concentrations and the relationship to vitamin D, immune status, and inflammation in HIV-infected children and young adults.
abstract: Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 is produced in response to active vitamin D to exert immunomodulatory effects and inhibits HIV replication in vitro. To date, no studies have investigated LL-37 in HIV-infected patients. This study sought to investigate LL-37 and the relationship to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and HIV-related variables in this population. HIV-infected subjects and healthy controls ages 1-25 years old were prospectively enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Fasting plasma LL-37 and 25(OH)D concentrations were measured in duplicate with ELISA. HIV(+) subjects (36 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-experienced subjects; 27 ART-naïve subjects) and 31 healthy controls were enrolled. Overall, 93% were black and the median age was 20 years. There was no difference in median (interquartile range) LL-37 between the HIV-infected group and controls [58.3 (46.4,69.5) vs. 51.3 (40.8,98.2) ng/ml, respectively; p=0.57]; however, the ART-experienced group had higher concentrations than the ART-naive group [66.2 (55.4,77.0) vs. 48.9 (38.9,57.9) ng/ml, respectively; p<0.001]. LL-37 was positively correlated with 25(OH)D in controls, but not in HIV-infected groups, and was positively correlated with current CD4 and ΔCD4 (current-nadir) in the ART-experienced group. After adjustment for age, race, sex, and HIV duration, the association between LL-37 and CD4 remained significant. These findings suggest that HIV and/or HIV-related variables may alter the expected positive relationship between vitamin D and LL-37 and should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: 1 Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta, Georgia .
authors.forename: Vin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tangpricha
authors.forename: Suzanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: Grace A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: McComsey
authors.forename: Allison Ross
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Eckard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D044383:Black People; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult; D054804:Cathelicidins
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D054804:Cathelicidins