Kinetics of beta-chemokine levels during anti-HIV therapy

Chemokines are pro-inflammatory cytokines that inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in vitro. We studied the kinetics of the beta-chemokines, macrophage inhibitory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, RANTES, and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 in plasma during 12 months of antiretroviral therapy in 26 HIV-1-infected patients and in 11 untreated subjects. Eleven patients with moderate immunodeficiency had HIV-1 RNA levels < 50 copies/ml after 1 year, whereas 12 out of 15 patients with severe immunodeficiency had detectable virus. At baseline, MCP-1 levels correlated positively with HIV-1 RNA and DNA levels and inversely with CD4 cell counts. A reverse pattern was seen for the MIP-1 beta levels. No correlation was seen between MIP-1 alpha or RANTES and any of the parameters. Also, there was a dichotomy between the different beta-chemokines in response to therapy. Decreases of MCP-1 and RANTES levels were found, but no durable changes of MIP-1 alpha and MIP-1 beta. The MCP-1 levels rebounded back to baseline after 1 year in the patients who responded virologically, which could possibly reflect an increased immune activation. The biological consequences of the changes in beta-chemokines levels during antiretroviral treatment are still unknown and deserve further studies.