title: Plasma concentrations of transforming growth factor beta 1 in non-progressive HIV-1 infection correlates with markers of disease progression.
abstract: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection shows variable rate of disease progression. The underlying biological and molecular mechanisms involved in determining progression of HIV infection are not fully understood. The aims of this study were to determine plasma concentrations of active TGF β 1, Th1 and Th2 cytokines in patients with non-progressive and those with progressive HIV-1 infection, as well as to determine if there is an association of these cytokines to disease progression. In a cross-sectional study of 61 HIV-1 infected individuals categorized according to disease progression as having non-progressive HIV-1 infection (n=14) and progressive infection (n=47), plasma levels of active TGF β 1, INF-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-12p70 and IL-13 were compared with HIV uninfected healthy controls (n=12). Plasma concentration of these cytokines was measured using a highly sensitive luminex200 XMAP assay. Pearson correlation test was used to assess the correlation of cytokines with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD4:CD8 ratio and plasma HIV-1 RNA in the different study groups. Plasma concentrations of TGF β 1 and IL-10 were significantly decreased while IL-1β, IL-12p70 and TNF-α were increased in patients with non-progressive HIV-1 infection compared to patients with progressive infection. Plasma levels of TGF β 1 and IL-10 showed an inverse correlation with CD8+ T cell counts and CD4:CD8 ratios in patients with non-progressive HIV-1 infection, while plasma HIV-1 RNA positively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts. Plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-12p70 and IL-13 positively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts and inversely correlated with plasma HIV-1 RNA, CD8+ T cell count and CD4:CD8 ratio in patients with non-progressive infection. The correlation of cytokines to the state of T-lymphocyte and plasma HIV-1 RNA found in this study may provide insight into the role of cytokines in both progressive and non-progressive HIV-1 infection. Additionally, these findings may have implications for systemic cytokine-based therapies in HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Ghana; Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya. Electronic address: emaina02@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Edward K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Maina
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Ghana.
authors.forename: C Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Abana
authors.affiliation: Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bukusi
authors.affiliation: Malaria Program, Naval Medical Research Centre, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sedegah
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine & Dentistry, CHS, University of Ghana, Ghana.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lartey
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Ghana.
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ampofo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D012367:RNA, Viral; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
keywords: CD4+ T cells; CD8+ T cells; Cytokines; HIV-1 RNA; HIV-1 infection