title: Short communication: circulating plasma HIV-1 viral protein R in dual HIV-1/tuberculosis infection.
abstract: Circulating free HIV-1 viral protein R (Vpr) is found in up to one third of subjects with HIV-1 infection. Free Vpr presumably shares some of the immunopathogenic effects of cell-associated Vpr. Here we assessed Vpr in plasma and pleural fluid from HIV/tuberculosis (TB) dually infected subjects with pleural TB and from plasma of patients with pulmonary HIV/TB. Vpr was assessed by western blot analysis. In plasma from HIV/TB subjects with pulmonary TB free Vpr could be detected in 47%. Only one subject, among 26 tested, with HIV monoinfection showed plasma Vpr activity. The majority (87.5%) of patients with pleural HIV/TB demonstrated free Vpr reactivity in their plasma. However, no Vpr activity was found in autologous pleural fluid samples from pleural HIV/TB patients. Standard (s) Vpr reactivity was reduced markedly by the addition of sVpr to pleural fluid from HIV-uninfected subjects. A high incidence of plasma Vpr reactivity in HIV/TB patients implies heightened processing and release of this HIV-1 accessory protein during HIV/TB coinfection. The contribution of free Vpr to HIV-1 immunopathogenesis during HIV/TB needs to be studied.
authors.affiliation: 1 Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Toossi
authors.forename: Shigou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mianda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mayanja-Kizza
authors.forename: Christina S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hirsch
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D060085:Coinfection / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000821:virology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514912:vpr protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1