title: MicroRNA-29 family expression and its relation to antiviral immune response and viro-immunological markers in HIV-1-infected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several in vitro studies suggested the microRNA-29 (miRNA-29) family is involved in regulating HIV-1 and modulating the expression of interleukin (IL)-32, an anti-HIV-1 cytokine.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate the contribution of the miRNA-29 family to HIV-1 infection in vivo, we compared miRNA-29 expression in PBMC collected from 58 HIV-1-infected patients, naïve for antiretroviral therapy, and 21 gender- and age-matched HIV-1 seronegative healthy donors, using RT-Taqman assays. The relation between miRNA-29 levels and HIV-1 viro-immunological markers and the activation rate of antiviral immune response were also evaluated. In addition, we profiled miRNA-29 expression in CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD14+ monocytes collected from 5 antiretroviral treated HIV-1 infected patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  miRNA-29b levels were higher in HIV-1-infected patients than in the control group (p < 0.001). There were no correlations with either HIV-1 RNA levels or CD4+ T count, whereas a significant correlation was found between miRNA-29-a/c levels and integrated HIV-1 DNA (miRNA-29a: p = 0.009, r = -0.448; miRNA-29c: p = 0.029; r = -0.381). When the HIV-1-infected patients were grouped on the basis of their plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD4+ T cell count, we also found that patients expressing the lowest levels of miRNA-29c showed high viraemia, low CD4+ T cell count and high levels of integrated HIV-1 DNA. Moreover, miRNA-29b levels were correlated with those of IL-32nonα (p = 0.028; r = -0.298). Patients expressing higher levels of miRNA-29b showed lower levels of MxA, an interferon-stimulated gene, also induced by IL-32 (p = 0.006 r = -0.397). Lastly, we found that CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD14+ monocytes shared similar miRNA-29a/b/c expression patterns but the amount of miRNA-29a/b/c, IL-32 isoforms and MxA were highly variable in these two cellular subsets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The miRNA-29 family could influence the clinical progression of HIV-1 infection, the HIV-1 proviral load and the innate immune response against HIV-1.
authors: Katia
authors: K
authors: Monteleone
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Selvaggi
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Cacciotti
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Falasca
authors: Ivano
authors: I
authors: Mezzaroma
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: D'Ettorre
authors: Ombretta
authors: O
authors: Turriziani
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Vullo
authors: Guido
authors: G
authors: Antonelli
authors: Carolina
authors: C
authors: Scagnolari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs