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Risk of HIV viral rebound in HIV infected patients on direct acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment for HCV. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262917. [PMID: 35113890 PMCID: PMC8812874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The dynamic of HIV-viral load (VL) remains poorly investigated in HIV/HCV patients under direct acting antivirals (DAAs). Methods We retrospectively evaluated HIV-VL at baseline (BL) during and up to 24 weeks post-DAAs in a cohort of 305 HIV-1/HCV patients, on ART and with no HIV virological failure (VF) in the 6 months before treatment with DAAs; during the period of observation VF was defined as confirmed VL≥50 copies/mL; virological blips (VB, transient, not confirmed, VL ≥50 copies/mL). Stepwise Cox regression models were fitted to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) of VF. Results Fifteen VF occurred in 13 patients over 187 person-years of follow-up (PYFU): incidence rate (IR) of 8.0 per 100-PYFU (95% CI = 4.0–12.1); 29 VBs were detected in 26 patients over 184 PYFU: IR = 15.8 per 100-PYFU (95% CI = 10.0–21.5). The most prominent factor associated with VF was the presence of BL HIV residual viremia (RV = HIV-RNA detectable but not precisely quantifiable) [aHR = 12.26 (95% CI = 3.74–40.17), P<0.0001]. Other factors were ≥1 VBs in the 6 months before DAAs [aHR = 6.95 (95% CI = 1.77–27.37) P = 0.006] number of ART regimens failed before DAAs initiation [aHR (per more regimen) = 1.22 (95% CI = 1.04–1.42), P = 0.012] and age [aHR (per year older) = 1.16 (95% CI = 1.04–1.29), P = 0.010]. Conclusions Our findings underline the importance for close monitoring HIV-VL in selected patients. Whether this phenomenon is triggered by the rapid clearance of HCV remains to be established.
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Auma AWN, Shive CL, Kostadinova L, Anthony DD. Variable Normalization of Naïve CD4+ Lymphopenia and Markers of Monocyte and T Cell Activation over the Course of Direct-Acting Anti-Viral Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Viruses 2021; 14:50. [PMID: 35062255 PMCID: PMC8780994 DOI: 10.3390/v14010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with naïve CD4+ T cell lymphopenia and long-standing/persistent elevation of cellular and soluble immune activation parameters, the latter heightened in the setting of HIV co-infection. The underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. However, we recently reported that accelerated peripheral cell death may contribute to naïve CD4+ T cell loss and that mechanistic relationships between monocyte activation, T cell activation, and soluble inflammatory mediators may also contribute. Chronic HCV infection can be cured by direct-acting anti-viral (DAA) therapy, and success is defined as sustained virological response (SVR, undetectable HCV RNA (ribonucleic acid) at 12 weeks after DAA treatment completion). However, there is no general consensus on the short-term and long-term immunological outcomes of DAA therapy. Here, we consolidate previous reports on the partial normalization of naïve CD4+ lymphopenia and T cell immune activation and the apparent irreversibility of monocyte activation following DAA therapy in HCV infected and HCV/HIV co-infected individuals. Further, advanced age and cirrhosis are associated with delayed or abrogation of immune reconstitution after DAA therapy, an indication that non-viral factors also likely contribute to host immune dysregulation in HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann W. N. Auma
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (A.W.N.A.); (C.L.S.)
| | - Carey L. Shive
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (A.W.N.A.); (C.L.S.)
- Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | | | - Donald D. Anthony
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; (A.W.N.A.); (C.L.S.)
- Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- Metro Health Medical Center, Division of Rheumatology, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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Farcomeni S, Moretti S, Fimiani C, Sulekova LF, Vescio F, Sernicola L, Maggiorella MT, Remoli AL, Picconi O, Mosca L, Esvan R, Biliotti E, Ciccozzi M, Sgarbanti M, Taliani G, Borsetti A. Short- and Long-Term Immunological Responses in Chronic HCV/HIV Co-Infected Compared to HCV Mono-Infected Patients after DAA Therapy. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10111488. [PMID: 34832642 PMCID: PMC8623367 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment, although highly efficacious for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, may not completely reconstitute the HCV-mediated dysregulated immune system, especially in patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the impact of HCV eradication following DAA therapy on the immune system and liver disease improvement through comparative monitoring of 10 HCV mono-infected and 10 HCV/HIV co-infected patients under combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Early and late longitudinal phenotypic changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subsets, T-cell activation, differentiation and exhaustion, as well as inflammatory biomarkers, indoleamine 2-3 dioxygenase (IDO) activity, and liver stiffness, APRI and FIB-4 scores were assessed. Materials and Methods: Samples were obtained at baseline (T0), week 1 (T1), week 2 (T2), week 12 (T3, end of treatment, EOT), and month 9 (T4, end of follow-up, 36 weeks post EOT). Results: All patients achieved a sustained virological response (SVR 12) after DAA treatment. Overall, changes of the T-cell immune phenotypes were greater in HCV/HIV co-infected than in HCV mono-infected, due to an increase in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell percentages and of CD8+ T-cell activation and memory markers, in particular at the end of follow-up. On the other end, HCV mono-infected showed changes in the activation profile and in the memory CD4+ T-cell compartment. In HCV/HIV co-infected, a decrease in the IDO activity by DAA treatment was observed; conversely, in HCV mono-infected, it resulted unmodified. Regarding inflammatory mediators, viral suppression was associated with a reduction in IP-10 levels, while interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-7, interferon (IFN)-β, and interferon (IFN)-γ levels were downregulated during therapy and increased post therapy. A decrease in liver stiffness, APRI, and FIB-4 scores was also observed. Conclusions: Our study suggests that, although patients achieved HCV eradication, the immune activation state in both HCV mono-infected and HCV/HIV co-infected patients remains elevated for a long time after the end of DAA therapy, despite an improvement of liver-specific outcomes, meanwhile highlighting the distinct immunophenotypic and inflammatory biomarker profile between the groups of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Farcomeni
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.F.); (S.M.); (L.S.); (M.T.M.); (O.P.)
| | - Sonia Moretti
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.F.); (S.M.); (L.S.); (M.T.M.); (O.P.)
| | - Caterina Fimiani
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.F.); (R.E.)
| | | | - Fenicia Vescio
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.V.); (A.L.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Leonardo Sernicola
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.F.); (S.M.); (L.S.); (M.T.M.); (O.P.)
| | - Maria T. Maggiorella
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.F.); (S.M.); (L.S.); (M.T.M.); (O.P.)
| | - Anna Lisa Remoli
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.V.); (A.L.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Orietta Picconi
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.F.); (S.M.); (L.S.); (M.T.M.); (O.P.)
| | - Luciana Mosca
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Rozenn Esvan
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.F.); (R.E.)
| | - Elisa Biliotti
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Policlinico Umberto I, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Massimo Ciccozzi
- Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology Unit, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marco Sgarbanti
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (F.V.); (A.L.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Gloria Taliani
- Chronic Infectious Diseases Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Borsetti
- National HIV/AIDS Research Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.F.); (S.M.); (L.S.); (M.T.M.); (O.P.)
- Correspondence:
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