The chronic inflammatory landscape in HIV infection: characteristics of innate immunity factors

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Abstract

HIV infection, despite the success of antiretroviral therapy, remains a pressing problem to study. In a number of patients, despite achieving control and undetectable viral load, the expected recovery of immunologic surveillance and adequate interaction of innate factors are not achieved. The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate the state of innate immunity factors in patients with HIV infection. Materials and methods. 2 main groups were formed consisting of 56 subjects with HIV infection — with undetectable viral load and with detectable viral load. The control group contained 20 age- and sex-matched apparently healthy volunteers. Serum innate immunity factors were assessed using Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine Screening Panel, 48-Plex (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., USA). Results. The levels of IL-15, IL-5, VEGF were below the sensitivity threshold of the applied test-system across entire examined cohort, also observed for beta-NGF level in control group. Among all investigated indices in control group only a few of them showed insignificant differences with patients from main groups: IL-12p40, IL-13, IL-3, LIF, M-CSF, MCP-3. The general change pattern in most major cytokine levels consisted in significant hypercytokinemia in main group vs control group excepting for opposite difference for level of IL-2, TNFβ, IFNα2, G-CSF, IL-2Rα. Serum levels of Eotaxin, IL-17, IL-2Rα, IL-4 did not differ between control group and patients with viremia. Significant differences between subjects from main groups were recorded in the levels of IL-2Rα, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIG. The study confirmed the persistence of a prominent imbalance of innate immunity factors in patients with HIV infection, both in remission and in case of viral load. The chronic inflammatory landscape formed during HIV infection may be an important pathogenetic link for developing complications and syndromes associated with HIV infection.

About the authors

Sergei V. Knysh

Pacific State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: knysh.sv@tgmu.ru

PhD (Medicine), Associate Professor, Normal and Pathological Physiology Department

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

E. V. Markelova

Pacific State Medical University

Email: knysh.sv@tgmu.ru

DSc (Medicine), Professor, Head of Normal and Pathological Physiology Department

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

A. S. Kuznetsov

Pacific State Medical University; Regional Hospital No. 2

Email: knysh.sv@tgmu.ru

Assistant Professor, Normal and Pathological Physiology Department,  Ultrasound Physician

Russian Federation, Vladivostok; Vladivostok

I. S. Gorelova

Pacific State Medical University; Regional Hospital No. 2

Email: knysh.sv@tgmu.ru

PhD (Medicine), Associate Professor, Public Health and Preventive Medicine Department, Head of the AIDS Center

Russian Federation, Vladivostok; Vladivostok

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2. Figure 1. Results of the study of innate immunity factors with predominantly pro-inflammatory activity Note. * — level of reliability of differences p < 0,001; control — control group; I — group I; II — group II.

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3. Figure 2. Results of the study of innate immunity factors with predominan Note. * — level of reliability of differences p < 0,001; control — control group; I — group I; II — group II.tly anti-inflammatory activity

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4. Figure 3. Results of the study of innate immunity factors, predominantly chemokines and growth factors (1) Note. * — level of reliability of differences p < 0,001; control — control group; I — group I; II — group II.

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5. Figure 4. Results of the study of innate immunity factors, mainly chemokines and growth factors (2) Note. * — level of reliability of differences p < 0,001; control — control group; I — group I; II — group II.

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Copyright (c) 2025 Knysh S.V., Markelova E.V., Kuznetsov A.S., Gorelova I.S.

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