Antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected elite controllers: impact on gut immunology, microbial translocation, and biomarkers of serious non-AIDS conditions

J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 Dec 15;67(5):514-8. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000359.

Abstract

Elite controllers (ECs) maintain undetectable HIV viral loads without antiretroviral therapy (ART) but are at increased risk of serious non-AIDS conditions (SNA). We assessed the impact of ART in ECs on gut immune dysfunction and biomarkers predicting SNA (blood CD4/CD8 ratio, plasma IL-6, D-dimer levels). At baseline, ECs had elevated IL-6 and D-dimer levels and reduced CD4/CD8 ratio compared with HIV-uninfected controls, but no difference in microbial translocation or gut CD4 subsets. ART increased CD4/CD8 ratio but did not normalize IL-6 and D-dimer levels. EC SNA pathogenesis may be independent of gut immune dysfunction, and resolution may require prolonged ART.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods*
  • Bacterial Translocation*
  • Biomarkers
  • CD4-CD8 Ratio
  • Female
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / analysis
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / immunology*
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Long-Term Survivors*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents
  • Biomarkers
  • Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products
  • Interleukin-6
  • fibrin fragment D