title: In vivo effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 replication: A population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although a number of in vitro studies have shown that methamphetamine (METH) can increase HIV-1 replication in human immune cells, a direct link between METH use and HIV-1 pathogenesis remains to be determined among HIV-1 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  According to the status of METH use and HIV-1 infection, we enrolled participants and divided them into four groups: METH+HIV+, METH-HIV+, METH+HIV-, and METH-HIV-. HIV viral loads and HIV-1-related cellular factors were measured and compared among different groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 60 participants were enrolled into this study, 15 within each group. HIV viral loads in METH+HIV+ group were significantly higher than those in METH-HIV+ group, while CD4+ T cell counts had an inverse trend between the two groups (p<0.05). METH users or HIV-1 infected patients had lower CCR5+, CXCR4+ percentages in CD4+ T cells than METH-HIV- subjects (p<0.01). However, METH use had little effect on CD3 expression in PBMCs and the levels of MIP-1α, MIP-1β and IL-6 in PBMCs or plasma, which were increased by HIV-1 infection with or without METH. TLR-9 and IFN-α levels in PBMCs of METH users with or without HIV infection were higher than non-METH users (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  METH use is associated with higher viral loads and lower CD4+ T cell counts in HIV-infected individuals. This finding may be mediated by activation of innate immunity (TLR-9, IFN-α) by METH use.
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: johnjeang@qq.com.
authors.forename: Junjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: gleanerwml@163.com.
authors.forename: Minlian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: 170140463@qq.com.
authors.forename: Bingyu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Qijian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jiegang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jinming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Peijiang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Rongfeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Fangning
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, Guangxi Medical Research Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: yeligx@163.com.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of AIDS Prevention and Treatment & Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Highly Prevalent Disease, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, Guangxi Medical Research Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: haolphd@163.com.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054405:Chemokine CCL3 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D054407:Chemokine CCL4 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C584933:CCR5 protein, human; C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D015850:Interleukin-6; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: HIV-1 entry; HIV-1 pathogenesis; Methamphetamine (METH) use; TLR-9