Increased glucose transporter-1 expression on intermediate monocytes from HIV-infected women with subclinical cardiovascular disease.
People living with HIV (PLWH) have chronic immune activation and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Activation of monocytes and T lymphocytes causes upregulation of glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) for efficient function. PLWH have an increased percentage of GLUT1-expressing monocytes and T lymphocytes, but it is unclear if these cells are associated with CVD. We evaluated the expression of GLUT1 and CD38 on monocyte and T lymphocyte populations from HIV-infected women with subclinical CVD.



Participants with more than 75th percentile (n = 15) and less than 25th percentile (n = 15) age-adjusted intima-media thickness (IMT) at the right common carotid artery and bifurcation were identified from the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Groups were matched by age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and CD4 cell count. All women were receiving suppressive antiretroviral therapy except for one high and one low IMT participant. Monocyte and T lymphocyte populations were evaluated for GLUT1 and CD38 expression using flow cytometry.



Intermediate monocytes from high IMT women had significantly increased expression of GLUT1 (310 MFI vs. 210 MFI, P = 0.024) (66.4% vs. 48.5%, P = 0.031) and CD38 (339 MFI vs. 211 MFI, P = 0.002) (10.5% vs. 3.8%, P = 0.0002) compared with women with low IMT. High and low IMT participants showed no differences in GLUT1 or CD38 expression on classical monocytes, nonclassical monocytes, CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes.



GLUT1-expressing intermediate monocytes are elevated in HIV-infected women with subclinical CVD. These cells may contribute to development of CVD in PLWH and could be a novel target to limit inflammation.
aDepartment of Microbiology, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica bDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health cDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York dDepartment of Pathology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York City, New York eDivision of Infectious Diseases, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C fDepartment of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles gDepartment of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California hDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland iDivision of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina jDepartment of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia kDivision of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida lDivision of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama mDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA nCentre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute oDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Monash University pDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Tiffany R
TR
Butterfield
David B
DB
Hanna
Robert C
RC
Kaplan
Jorge R
JR
Kizer
Helen G
HG
Durkin
Mary A
MA
Young
Marek J
MJ
Nowicki
Phyllis C
PC
Tien
Elizabeth T
ET
Golub
Michelle A
MA
Floris-Moore
Kehmia
K
Titanji
Margaret A
MA
Fischl
Sonya L
SL
Heath
Jefferey
J
Martinson
Suzanne M
SM
Crowe
Clovis S
CS
Palmer
Alan L
AL
Landay
Joshua J
JJ
Anzinger
D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C495677:SLC2A1 protein, human; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1