Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objectives
Microbial translocation (MT) through the gut accounts for immune activation and CD4+ loss in HIV and may influence HCV disease progression in HIV/HCV co-infection. We asked whether increased MT and immune activation may hamper anti-HCV response in HIV/HCV patients.Methods
98 HIV/HCV patients who received pegylated-alpha-interferon (peg-INF-alpha)/ribavirin were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline MT (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), host response to MT (sCD14), CD38+HLA-DR+CD4+/CD8+, HCV genotype, severity of liver disease were assessed according to Early Virological Response (EVR: HCV-RNA <50 IU/mL at week 12 of therapy or ?2 log(10) reduction from baseline after 12 weeks of therapy) and Sustained Virological Response (SVR: HCV-RNA <50 IU/mL 24 weeks after end of therapy). Mann-Whitney/Chi-square test and Pearson's correlation were used. Multivariable regression was performed to determine factors associated with EVR/SVR.Results
71 patients displayed EVR; 41 SVR. Patients with HCV genotypes 1-4 and cirrhosis presented a trend to higher sCD14, compared to patients with genotypes 2-3 (p?=?0.053) and no cirrhosis (p?=?0.052). EVR and SVR patients showed lower levels of circulating sCD14 (p?=?0.0001, p?=?0.026, respectively), but similar T-cell activation compared to Non-EVR (Null Responders, NR) and Non-SVR (N-SVR) subjects. sCD14 resulted the main predictive factor of EVR (0.145 for each sCD14 unit more, 95%CI 0.031-0.688, p?=?0.015). SVR was associated only with HCV genotypes 2-3 (AOR 0.022 for genotypes 1-4 vs 2-3, 95%CI 0.001-0.469, p?=?0.014).Conclusions
In HIV/HCV patients sCD14 correlates with the severity of liver disease and predicts early response to peg-INF-alpha/ribavirin, suggesting MT-driven immune activation as pathway of HIV/HCV co-infection and response to therapy.
SUBMITTER: Marchetti G
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3283684 | biostudies-literature | 2012
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Marchetti Giulia G Nasta Paola P Bai Francesca F Gatti Francesca F Bellistrì Giusi Maria GM Tincati Camilla C Borghi Federica F Carosi Giampiero G Puoti Massimo M Monforte Antonella d'Arminio Ad
PloS one 20120221 2
<h4>Objectives</h4>Microbial translocation (MT) through the gut accounts for immune activation and CD4+ loss in HIV and may influence HCV disease progression in HIV/HCV co-infection. We asked whether increased MT and immune activation may hamper anti-HCV response in HIV/HCV patients.<h4>Methods</h4>98 HIV/HCV patients who received pegylated-alpha-interferon (peg-INF-alpha)/ribavirin were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline MT (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), host response to MT (sCD14), CD38+HLA-DR+CD4 ...[more]