Lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10 influence lipodystrophy in HIV/AIDS patients under antiretroviral therapy

Pasture intake protects against commercial diet-induced lipopolysaccharide production facilitated by gut microbiota through activating intestinal alkaline phosphatase enzyme in meat geese

Introduction

Diet strongly affects gut microbiota composition, and gut bacteria can influence the intestinal barrier functions and systemic inflammation through metabolic endotoxemia. In-house feeding system (IHF, a low dietary fiber source) may cause altered cecal microbiota composition and inflammatory responses in meat geese via increased endotoxemia (lipopolysaccharides) with reduced intestinal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production. The effects of artificial pasture grazing system (AGF, a high dietary fiber source) on modulating gut microbiota architecture and gut barrier functions have not been investigated in meat geese. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether intestinal ALP could play a critical role in attenuating reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and ROS facilitating NF-κB pathway-induced systemic inflammation in meat geese.

Methods

The impacts of IHF and AGF systems on gut microbial composition via 16 sRNA sequencing were assessed in meat geese. The host markers analysis through protein expression of serum and cecal tissues, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, localization of NF-қB and Nrf2 by immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting analysis of ALP, and quantitative PCR of cecal tissues was evaluated.

Results and Discussion

In the gut microbiota analysis, meat geese supplemented with pasture showed a significant increase in commensal microbial richness and diversity compared to IHF meat geese demonstrating the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory ability of the AGF system. A significant increase in intestinal ALP-induced Nrf2 signaling pathway was confirmed representing LPS dephosphorylation mediated TLR4/MyD88 induced ROS reduction mechanisms in AGF meat geese. Further, the correlation analysis of top 44 host markers with gut microbiota showed that artificial pasture intake protected gut barrier functions via reducing ROS-mediated NF-κB pathway-induced gut permeability, systemic inflammation, and aging phenotypes. In conclusion, the intestinal ALP functions to regulate gut microbial homeostasis and barrier function appear to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines by reducing LPS-induced ROS production in AGF meat geese. The AGF system may represent a novel therapy to counteract the chronic inflammatory state leading to low dietary fiber-related diseases in animals.

Correlation between metabolic syndrome and relative telomere length shortening in HIV/AIDS patients on combined antiretroviral therapy

BACKGROUND

Components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) play an important role in the accelerated aging process. Relative telomere length (RTL) is a marker of biological aging. The aim of our study was to determine RTL and its possible association with MetS and the components of MetS in HIV-infected patients treated with cART.

METHODS

We included 24 HIV-infected men, all Caucasians, with successful cART (<50 HIV-RNA copies/mL) and on stable cART for at least 24 months. The presence of MetS and its components was determined by the criteria prescribed by the International Diabetes Federation. RTL was determined by Real-Time PCR and ΔΔCt method. We performed a multiple linear regression modeling on log-transformed RTL (dependant variable) to evaluate which components of the metabolic syndrome as well as cART duration and cART type, had an impact on RTL.

RESULTS

Eleven (45.8%) patients had and 13 (54.2%) had not MetS. All patients, had an undetectable viral RNA and a relatively good immune status. The mean RTL was 0.62 ± 0.15 and 0.95 ± 0.36 in patients with and without MetS, respectively (p = 0.01). Multiple linear regression model showed no significant association between duration of cART, cART type and RTL (p = 0.2165, p = 0.8628, respectively). The same analysis showed that an increase in number of MetS components was associated with shorter telomere length (β = -0.4982, p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

We showed for the first time association between RTL shortening in HIV-infected men with metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, our study also indicated that an increment of metabolic syndrome components is strongly associated with shorter telomere length.

Heart fat in HIV: marker or mediator of risk?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The review aims to summarize the literature describing the clinical impact of cardiac fat depots in patients with HIV infection.

RECENT FINDINGS

People living with HIV (PLHIV) have accelerated rates of cardiovascular disease, and are prone to the development of ectopic fat deposition. Specifically, PLHIV have higher volumes of epicardial and intracardiac fat quantified by noninvasive imaging. Higher volumes of epicardial fat may be related to antiretroviral therapy duration and chronic inflammation, independently of other measures of body adiposity such as BMI. They have been associated with increased coronary artery calcium, myocardial perfusion defects, death, and myocardial infarction. The association with risk may be partly mediated through direct actions of cytokines and adipokines produced by the adipose tissue. Furthermore, HIV-infected patients have increased myocardial fat deposition that is also associated with antiretroviral therapy duration, and may be responsible for myocardial systolic and diastolic dysfunction.

SUMMARY

PLHIV have increased fat deposition surrounding and inside the heart that may serve as an important imaging marker of risk but may also directly mediate coronary artery disease and cardiac dysfunction. Although robust data of targeted therapies is lacking, some pharmacotherapies may be able to reduce cardiac fat volumes. In the meantime, as the evidence grows, physicians may consider intensifying preventive strategies and monitoring in patients with abnormal heart fat on noninvasive imaging.

Higher Levels of Cystatin C in HIV/AIDS Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Data about Cystatin-C levels in HIV-infected patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are still limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible correlations of serum levels of Cystatin-C in HIV/AIDS patients treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) with or without MetS. This cross-sectional study included 89 HIV/AIDS Caucasian patients receiving cART at the HIV/AIDS Centre Belgrade, Serbia, divided into two groups according to the presence of MetS. Cystatin-C and other biochemical parameters were measured using Cytokine-Array-I, Metabolic-Array-I and Metabolic-Array-II, at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Free Hospital and University College London, UK. A linear regression model was performed to evaluate which clinical and laboratory variables had an independent effect on Cystatin-C levels in HIV/AIDS patients. There were 33 (37%) patients with MetS and 56 (63%) without MetS. Patients with and without MetS were homogenous for age, duration of cART, number of cART combinations and CD4⁺ T cell count. Statistically increased Cystatin-C levels were observed in HIV/AIDS patients with MetS (p = 0.017), when compared to patients without MetS. Data showed a positive correlation of Cystatin-C and C-reactive protein (r = 0.349, p = 0.001). Using linear regression modelling, significant correlations were obtained between Cystatin-C and MetS in univariate analysis (p < 0.001). Cystatin-C levels were significantly higher in HIV/AIDS patients with MetS versus without MetS. Early assessment of MetS using Cystatin-C as a marker may ultimately help increase the lifespan of HIV/AIDS patients, as these patients appear to be at high risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Exercise improves cytokine profile in HIV-infected people: A randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

Verify the effects of concurrent training on cytokines in people living with HIV under antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment.

METHODS

This was a blinded, parallel-group, clinical trial, where 49 participants, divided in two groups, either control group or concurrent training group, took part in the intervention. The control group performed recreational activities and concurrent training group participated of 16-week, 3 times per week of heart rate guided-aerobic plus resistance training for major muscular groups. Cytokines (interleukins 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) were measured before and after 16-week experimental period using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

From 49 participants who took part in the intervention, 28 completed the program and had data analyzed. There was a significant interaction for IL-8, which increased for control group: 7.1±5.1 vs. 8.1±6.0 and a decrease for concurrent training: 8.0±4.4 vs. 5.4±2.3. In addition, magnitude-based inference showed a likely beneficial effect for the training group when compared to the control group for IL-8, IL-5, and IL-10. The difference perceptual: mean and [CI 90%] between delta of difference within groups was -43.1 [-64.0 to -10.0] and -6.6 [-14.7 to 2.3], respectively.

CONCLUSION

Short-term exercise is able to decrease the levels of IL-5, IL-8, and IL-10 in HIV-infected people undergoing ART.