Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
Isolation of Exosomes from the Plasma of HIV-1 Positive Individuals
Published on: January 5, 2016
High Soluble CD14 Levels at Primary HIV-1 Infection Predict More Rapid Disease Progression
Evguenia Krastinova1, Camille Lecuroux2, Carole Leroy2
1INSERM, U1018, Epidemiology of HIV and STI, CESP; University Paris-Sud Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Bicêtre Hospital, AP-HP.
Insights
Soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels predict faster CD4 cell decline in early human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Higher sCD14 indicates a poorer prognosis for untreated patients during primary HIV.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Soluble CD14 (sCD14) is linked to mortality in chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
- The prognostic significance of sCD14 during primary HIV infection requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prognostic value of sCD14 levels in patients experiencing primary HIV infection.
- To determine the association between sCD14 levels and disease progression, including CD4 cell count decline.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of sCD14 levels in 138 patients with primary HIV infection.
- Assessment of mortality and spontaneous CD4 cell count changes over 18 months in 68 untreated patients.
- Statistical adjustments for age, baseline CD4 count, and HIV viral load.
Main Results:
- Higher sCD14 levels showed a preliminary association with mortality from myocardial infarction (based on 3 events).
- In untreated patients, elevated sCD14 levels correlated with a more rapid decline in CD4 cell counts within 18 months post-primary infection.
- This association remained significant after adjusting for key clinical and virological factors.
Conclusions:
- Elevated sCD14 levels may serve as an early indicator of disease progression in primary HIV infection.
- sCD14 warrants further study as a potential prognostic biomarker for managing early-stage HIV.
- The findings suggest sCD14's role in immune activation and pathogenesis during acute HIV infection.
Abstract:
The soluble CD14 (sCD14) level was found associated with mortality during the chronic phase of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Here we assessed its prognostic value in 138 patients with primary HIV infection. Higher sCD14 levels were associated with death, from myocardial infarction, but this was based on 3 deaths only. Among 68 untreated patients, those with higher sCD14 levels had more rapid spontaneous CD4 cell decline during the first 18 months following primary infection. This association persisted after adjustment for age, the CD4 cell count, and HIV viral load at diagnosis.
