Background-Antiretroviral therapy has improved survival for HIV-1-infected individuals. The neuroepidemiologic implications of HIV-1 in an aging population are not well known, particularly the prevalence of HIV-associated dementia (HAD).

HIV infection induces phenotypic and functional changes to CD8+ T cells defined by the coordinated upregulation of a series of negative checkpoint receptors that eventually result in T cell exhaustion and failure to control viral replication. We report that effector CD8+ T cells during HIV infection in blood and SIV infection in lymphoid tissue exhibit higher levels of the negative checkpoint receptor TIGIT. Increased frequencies of TIGIT+ and TIGIT+ PD-1+ CD8+ T cells correlated with parameters of HIV and SIV disease progression. TIGIT remained elevated despite viral suppression in those with either pharmacological antiretroviral control or immunologically in elite controllers. HIV and SIV-specific CD8+ T cells were dysfunctional and expressed high levels of TIGIT and PD-1. Ex-vivo single or combinational antibody blockade of TIGIT and/or PD-L1 restored viral-specific CD8+ T cell effector responses. The frequency of TIGIT+ CD4+ T cells correlated with the CD4+ T cell total HIV DNA. These findings identify TIGIT as a novel marker of dysfunctional HIV-specific T cells and suggest TIGIT along with other checkpoint receptors may be novel curative HIV targets to reverse T cell exhaustion.

In this trial of the initial treatment of HIV-1 infection, the triple-nucleoside combination of abacavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine was virologically inferior to a regimen containing efavirenz and two or three nucleosides.

Penicilliosis incidence correlates with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Viet nam. The number of cases increases during rainy months. Injection drug use, shorter history, absence of fever or skin lesions, respiratory difficulty, higher lymphocyte count, and lower platelet count predict poor in-hospital outcome.

Background The clinical relevance of detecting minority drug-resistant HIV-1 variants is uncertain. Methods To determine the effect of pre-existing minority non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-resistant variants on the risk of virologic failure (VF), we reanalyzed a case-cohort substudy of efavirenz recipients in ACTG A5095. Minority K103N or Y181C populations were determined by allele-specific PCR (ASPCR) in subjects without NNRTI resistance by population sequencing. Weighted Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for recent adherence estimated the relative risk of VF in the presence of NNRTI-resistant minority variants. Results The evaluable case-cohort sample included 195 subjects from the randomly selected subcohort (51 with VF, 144 without failure [NF]), plus 127 of the remaining subjects with VF. Presence of minority K103N or Y181C mutations, or both, was detected in 8 (4.4%), 54 (29.5%) and 11 (6%), respectively, of 183 evaluable subjects in the random subcohort. Detection of minority Y181C mutants was associated with an increased risk of VF in the setting of recent adherence (HR=3.45, CI=1.90, 6.26), but not in non-adherent subjects (HR=1.39, CI=0.58, 3.29). Of note, 70% of subjects with minority Y181C achieved long-term viral suppression. Conclusions In adherent patients, pre-existing minority Y181C mutants more than tripled the risk of VF of first-line efavirenz-based ART.

OBJECTIVETo determine whether systemic inflammation after initiation of HIV-antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with the development of diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe conducted a nested case-control study, comparing 55 previously ART-naive individuals who developed diabetes 48 weeks after ART initiation (case subjects) with 55 individuals who did not develop diabetes during a comparable follow-up (control subjects), matched on baseline BMI and race/ethnicity. Stored plasma samples at treatment initiation (week 0) and 1 year later (week 48) were assayed for levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the soluble receptors of tumor necrosis factor-α (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2).RESULTSCase subjects were older than control subjects (median age 41 vs. 37 years, P = 0.001), but the groups were otherwise comparable. Median levels for all markers, except hs-CRP, decreased from week 0 to week 48. Subjects with higher levels of hs-CRP, sTNFR1, and sTNFR2 at 48 weeks had an increased odds of subsequent diabetes, after adjustment for baseline marker level, age, BMI at week 48, CD4 count at week 48 (< vs. >200 cells/mm3), and indinavir use (all Ptrend ≤ 0.05). After further adjustment for week 48 glucose, effects were attenuated and only sTNFR1 remained significant (odds ratio, highest quartile vs. lowest 23.2 [95% CI 1.28–423], P = 0.03).CONCLUSIONSInflammatory markers 48 weeks after ART initiation were associated with increased risk of diabetes. These findings suggest that systemic inflammation may contribute to diabetes pathogenesis among HIV-infected patients.

Lipodystrophy with peripheral fat wasting following treatment with NRTI-containing HAART is associated with a decrease in subcutaneous adipose tissue mtDNA content.

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00013520.