Premature expression of a muscle fibrosis axis in chronic HIV infection

Despite the success of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), HIV infected individuals remain at increased risk for frailty and declines in physical function that are more often observed in older uninfected individuals. This may reflect premature or accelerated muscle aging.

Skeletal muscle gene expression profiles were evaluated in three uninfected independent microarray datasets including young (19 to 29 years old), middle aged (40 to 45 years old) and older (65 to 85 years old) subjects, and a muscle dataset from HIV infected subjects (36 to 51 years old). Using Bayesian analysis, a ten gene muscle aging signature was identified that distinguished young from old uninfected muscle and included the senescence and cell cycle arrest gene p21/Cip1 (CDKN1A). This ten gene signature was then evaluated in muscle specimens from a cohort of middle aged (30 to 55 years old) HIV infected individuals. Expression of p21/Cip1 and related pathways were validated and further analyzed in a rodent model for HIV infection.

We identify and replicate the expression of a set of muscle aging genes that were prematurely expressed in HIV infected, but not uninfected, middle aged subjects. We validated select genes in a rodent model of chronic HIV infection. Because the signature included p21/Cip1, a cell cycle arrest gene previously associated with muscle aging and fibrosis, we explored pathways related to senescence and fibrosis. In addition to p21/Cip1, we observed HIV associated upregulation of the senescence factor p16INK4a (CDKN2A) and fibrosis associated TGFβ1, CTGF, COL1A1 and COL1A2. Fibrosis in muscle tissue was quantified based on collagen deposition and confirmed to be elevated in association with infection status. Fiber type composition was also measured and displayed a significant increase in slow twitch fibers associated with infection.

The expression of genes associated with a muscle aging signature is prematurely upregulated in HIV infection, with a prominent role for fibrotic pathways. Based on these data, therapeutic interventions that promote muscle function and attenuate pro-fibrotic gene expression should be considered in future studies.