Giménez-Barcons M, Ribera M, Llano A, Clotet B, Esté JA, Martínez MA. Analysis of Chemokine and Cytokine Expression in Patients with HIV and GB Virus Type C Coinfection.
Clin Infect Dis 2005;
40:1342-9. [PMID:
15828087 DOI:
10.1086/429320]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Plasma levels of several chemokines and cytokines were evaluated in a cohort of 161 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)positive patients to shed light on a clinically relevant mechanism that would explain the putative beneficial effect of GB virus type C (GBV-C) coinfection.
METHODS
Markers for GBV-C infection were assessed in plasma samples. The syncitium-inducing (SI) capacity of isolated virus from each patient was determined in MT-2 cells. Plasma cytokine and chemokine levels were quantified with use of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS
GBV-C viremia was found in 44 (27%) of 161 patients, and anti-E2 antibodies were found in 18 (21%) of 87. In contrast to the findings of ex vivo analysis, no statistically significant differences were observed in levels of CCL5, stromal cell-derived factor 1, interleukin-7, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in plasma of patients with or without GBV-C viremia. Seventy-two (45%) and 89 (55%) of our patients harbored SI and non-SI (NSI) strains, respectively. GBV-C viremia was less prevalent among patients with SI strains (13 [18%] of 72) than among patients with NSI strains (30 [34%] of 89; P = .6). Of interest, coinfected patients with SI strains had significantly higher CD4+ T cell values than did patients who were not coinfected.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that GBV-C infection does not appear to influence the expression of the cytokines and chemokines analyzed herein in a clinically relevant context. Alternative explanations for the elevated levels of HIV-inhibitory chemokines are needed to explain the putative beneficial effect of GBV-C.
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