Higher levels of TNF and IL‐4 cytokines and low miR‐182 expression in visceral leishmaniasis‐HIV co‐infected patients

Abstract

Aims The aim of the present study was to assess serum cytokine and miRNA expression in visceral leishmaniasis‐HIV (VL‐HIV) co‐infection and HIV mono‐infection. Methods and results We analysed 113 serum samples from HIV patients in areas endemic for leishmaniasis. The diagnosis of VL was confirmed in 65 of these 113 samples. The VL‐HIV and HIV groups presented significant differences regarding haemoglobin level (P < .0001), lymphocyte count (P = .0444), white blood cell count (P = .0108), weight loss (P = .0310), HIV load (P < .0001) and CD4+ T‐lymphocytes count (P = .0003). Levels of IL‐6 and IL‐10, IFN‐γ and IL‐6, IFN‐γ and IL‐10, TNF and IL‐2 were positively correlated in VL‐HIV co‐infection, indicating higher serum levels of TNF and IL‐4 (P < .0001). In addition, miR‐182 expression was found to be significantly higher in HIV (P = .009), miR‐210 exhibited no statistically significant difference between groups, and nonexpression of miR‐122 was found in both groups. Conclusion Together, TNF, IL‐4 and miR‐182 may represent circulatory biomarkers of VL‐HIV co‐infection.