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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Isolation of Exosomes from the Plasma of HIV-1 Positive Individuals
Published on: January 5, 2016
Plasma cytokine levels during acute HIV-1 infection predict HIV disease progression
Lindi Roberts1, Jo-Ann S Passmore, Carolyn Williamson
1Division of Medical Virology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Background:
Both T-cell activation during early HIV-1 infection and soluble markers of immune activation during chronic infection are predictive of HIV disease progression. Although the acute phase of HIV infection is associated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production, the relationship between cytokine concentrations and HIV pathogenesis is unknown.
Objectives:
To identify cytokine biomarkers measurable in plasma during acute HIV-1 infection that predict HIV disease progression.
Design:
Study including 40 South African women who became infected with HIV-1 and were followed longitudinally from the time of infection.
Methods:
The concentrations of 30 cytokines in plasma from women with acute HIV-1 infection were measured and associations between cytokine levels and both viral load set point 12 months postinfection and time taken for CD4 cell counts to fall below 350 cells/microl were determined using multivariate and Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results:
We found that the concentrations of five plasma cytokines, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IFN-gamma, IL-7 and IL-15 in women with acute infection predicted 66% of the variation in viral load set point 12 months postinfection. IL-12p40, IL-12p70 and IFN-gamma were significantly associated with lower viral load, whereas IL-7 and IL-15 were associated with higher viral load. Plasma concentrations of IL-12p40 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor during acute infection were associated with maintenance of CD4 cell counts above 350 cells/microl, whereas IL-1alpha, eotaxin and IL-7 were associated with more rapid CD4 loss.
Conclusion:
A small panel of plasma cytokines during acute HIV-1 infection was predictive of long-term HIV disease prognosis in this group of South African women.
