title: HIV enteropathy and aging: gastrointestinal immunity, mucosal epithelial barrier, and microbial translocation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite decreases in morbidity and mortality as a result of antiretroviral therapy, gastrointestinal dysfunction remains common in HIV infection. Treated patients are at risk for complications of 'premature' aging, such as cardiovascular disease, osteopenia, neurocognitive decline, malignancies, and frailty. This review summarizes recent observations in this field.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mucosal CD4 lymphocytes, especially Th17 cells, are depleted in acute HIV and simian immune deficiency virus (SIV) infections, although other cell types also are affected. Reconstitution during therapy often is incomplete, especially in mucosa. Mucosal barrier function is affected by both HIV infection and aging and includes paracellular transport via tight junctions and uptake through areas of apoptosis; other factors may affect systemic antigen exposure. The resultant microbial translocation is associated with systemic immune activation in HIV and SIV infections. There is evidence of immune activation and microbial translocation in the elderly. The immune phenotypes of immunosenescence in HIV infection and aging appear similar. There are several targets for intervention; blockage of residual mucosal virus replication, preventing antigen uptake, modulating the microbiome, improving T cell recovery, combining therapies aimed at mucosal integrity, augmenting mucosal immunity, and managing traditional risk factors for premature aging in the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aging may interact with HIV enteropathy to enhance microbial translocation and immune activation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Hongyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kotler
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D018988:Bacterial Translocation; D015897:Comorbidity; D019053:HIV Enteropathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology