9th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]


24 – 26 April 2003, University of Manchester
Institute of Science & Technology (UMIST)
Manchester


[TITLE:] THE IMPACT OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AND/OR IMMUNOTHERAPY ON THE LEVELS OF CIRCULATING β-CHEMOKINES AND IL-16 IN HIV-1 INFECTED INDIVIDUALS

[AUTHOR(S):] CT Burton1, GAD Hardy1, AK Sullivan2, MR Nelson2, BG Gazzard2, FM Gotch1 and N Imami1
1 Imperial College and 2 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK

BHIVA Conf 2003 Apr 24-26;9:O21

BACKGROUND: A reduction in HIV-1 RNA in late-stage patients taking protease inhibitors (PIs) has been associated with increased macrophage inhibitory proteins (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, regulated-upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), interleukin (IL)-16 and decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1.

METHODS: β-chemokines and IL-16 were quantified in plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in HIV-1+ patients, monthly, over the first 16 weeks of PI or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). MIP-1β was measured after randomisation to one of (a) IL-2, (b) Remune (therapeutic vaccine), (c) IL-2 and Remune or (d) HAART alone. Viral load and lymphocyte subsets were also measured.

RESULTS: During the 16 weeks of HAART there were significant increases in levels of MIP-1α and MIP-1β in the NNRTI group (P=0.0015 and P=0.0006), significant decreases in the PI group (P=0.0010 and P=0.0352), significant decreases in MCP-1 in the PI group (P=0.0003), and no significant differences in RANTES and IL-16 levels. MIP-1β levels after randomisation showed little change; however, the IL-2 group had a significantly higher level at week 29 (P=0.0469), possibly due to an increase in CD8+ T cells.

CONCLUSIONS: Immunotherapy had little effect on plasma levels of MIP-1β. Patients treated with NNRTI-based HAART show a significantly higher level of MIP-1α and MIP-1β. These higher levels may be beneficial, as high levels of β-chemokines have been associated with slower disease progression.

PRESENTING AUTHOR: CT Burton

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