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Thirugnanam S, Rout N. A Perfect Storm: The Convergence of Aging, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, and Inflammasome Dysregulation. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:4768-4786. [PMID: 38785555 PMCID: PMC11119826 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has greatly transformed the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PWH). Today, over 76% of the individuals with HIV have access to this life-saving therapy. However, this progress has come with a new challenge: an increase in age-related non-AIDS conditions among patients with HIV. These conditions manifest earlier in PWH than in uninfected individuals, accelerating the aging process. Like PWH, the uninfected aging population experiences immunosenescence marked by an increased proinflammatory environment. This phenomenon is linked to chronic inflammation, driven in part by cellular structures called inflammasomes. Inflammatory signaling pathways activated by HIV-1 infection play a key role in inflammasome formation, suggesting a crucial link between HIV and a chronic inflammatory state. This review outlines the inflammatory processes triggered by HIV-1 infection and aging, with a focus on the inflammasomes. This review also explores current research regarding inflammasomes and potential strategies for targeting inflammasomes to mitigate inflammation. Further research on inflammasome signaling presents a unique opportunity to develop targeted interventions and innovative therapeutic modalities for combating HIV and aging-associated inflammatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siva Thirugnanam
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Namita Rout
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA;
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Center for Aging, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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Munjoma PT, Chandiwana P, Wyss J, Mazhandu AJ, Jordi SBU, Gutsire R, Katsidzira L, Yilmaz B, Misselwitz B, Duri K. Immune activation and inflammation in lactating women on combination antiretroviral therapy: role of gut dysfunction and gut microbiota imbalance. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1280262. [PMID: 38045684 PMCID: PMC10693333 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1280262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) effectively controls HIV; however, chronic low-level viremia and gut microbiota dysbiosis remain significant drivers of gut and systemic inflammation. In this study, we explored the relationship between gut microbiota composition, intestinal inflammation, microbial translocation, and systemic inflammation in women on cART in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We conducted a study in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected lactating women followed up at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum in Harare, Zimbabwe. We used 16S ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid (rRNA) sequencing and MesoScale Discovery V-Plex assays to examine the gut microbiome and to quantify plasma inflammatory biomarkers, respectively. In addition, we measured fecal calprotectin, plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess gut inflammation, microbial translocation, and monocyte/macrophage activation. Results A group of 77 lactating women were studied, of which 35% were HIV-infected. Fecal calprotectin levels were similar by HIV status at both follow-up time points. In the HIV-infected group at 6 weeks postpartum, fecal calprotectin was elevated: median (interquartile range) [158.1 µg/g (75.3-230.2)] in women who had CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts <350 cells/µL compared with those with ≥350 cells/µL [21.1 µg/g (0-58.4)], p = 0.032. Plasma sCD14 levels were significantly higher in the HIV-infected group at both 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, p < 0.001. Plasma LBP levels were similar, but higher levels were observed in HIV-infected women with elevated fecal calprotectin. We found significant correlations between fecal calprotectin, LBP, and sCD14 with proinflammatory cytokines. Gut microbial alpha diversity was not affected by HIV status and was not affected by use of antibiotic prophylaxis. HIV significantly affected microbial beta diversity, and significant differences in microbial composition were noted. The genera Slackia and Collinsella were relatively more abundant in the HIV-infected group, whereas a lower relative abundance of Clostriduim sensu_stricto_1 was observed. Our study also found correlations between gut microbial taxa abundance and systemic inflammatory biomarkers. Discussion and conclusion HIV-infected lactating women had increased immune activation and increased microbial translocation associated with increased gut inflammation. We identified correlations between the gut inflammation and microbial composition, microbial translocation, and systemic inflammation. The interplay of these parameters might affect the health of this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Privilege Tendai Munjoma
- Immunology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (UZ-FMHS), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Panashe Chandiwana
- Immunology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (UZ-FMHS), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Jacqueline Wyss
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Biomedical Research, Maurice Müller Laboratories, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Arthur John Mazhandu
- Immunology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (UZ-FMHS), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Sebastian Bruno Ulrich Jordi
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Biomedical Research, Maurice Müller Laboratories, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rutendo Gutsire
- Immunology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (UZ-FMHS), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Leolin Katsidzira
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (UZ-FMHS), Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Bahtiyar Yilmaz
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Biomedical Research, Maurice Müller Laboratories, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Misselwitz
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for Biomedical Research, Maurice Müller Laboratories, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kerina Duri
- Immunology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (UZ-FMHS), Harare, Zimbabwe
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