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Published on: June 11, 2011
Plasma glycomics predict cardiovascular disease in patients with ART-controlled HIV infections
Douglas M Oswald1, Edward S Sim1, Courtney Baker2
1Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Insights
Researchers discovered a unique glycan fingerprint in the plasma of individuals with HIV that predicts future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This finding offers potential new biomarkers for early CVD detection in HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively controls HIV but does not eliminate secondary diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- Predictive biomarkers for HIV-associated CVD are lacking, hindering preventative care.
- Understanding the molecular basis of HIV-associated CVD is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether plasma glycomic profiles can serve as predictive biomarkers for future cardiovascular events in individuals with HIV.
- To identify specific glycan biomarkers associated with CVD risk in the context of controlled HIV infection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a high-throughput, multitarget glycomic analysis on banked plasma samples from 324 individuals with HIV.
- Analyzed glycomic fingerprints to identify patterns associated with subsequent CVD diagnoses or events.
Main Results:
- Identified a distinct glycomic fingerprint predictive of future CVD events in patients with HIV.
- This glycomic biomarker was independent of established risk factors such as CD4 count, diabetes, age, and sex.
- Demonstrated the potential of plasma glycome as a biomarker for HIV-associated sequelae.
Conclusions:
- The plasma glycome contains novel glycan biomarkers capable of predicting CVD risk in patients with ART-controlled HIV infections.
- These findings open avenues for improved clinical management and preventative strategies for CVD in the HIV population.
- Highlights the prognostic potential of plasma glycomics in understanding complex human diseases.
Abstract:
Despite effective control of HIV infection with antiretroviral drugs, individuals with HIV have high incidences of secondary diseases. These sequelae, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), are poorly understood and represent a major health burden. To date, predictive biomarkers of HIV-associated secondary disease have been elusive, making preventative clinical management essentially impossible. Here, we applied a newly developed and easy to deploy, multitarget, and high-throughput glycomic analysis to banked HIV+ human plasma samples to determine whether the glycome may include biomarkers that predict future HIV-associated cardiovascular events or CVD diagnoses. Using 324 patient samples, we identified a glycomic fingerprint that was predictive of future CVD events but independent of CD4 counts, diabetes, age, and birth sex, suggesting that the plasma glycome may serve as a biomarker for specific HIV-associated sequelae. Our findings constitute the discovery of novel glycan biomarkers that could classify patients with HIV with elevated risk for CVD and reveal the untapped prognostic potential of the plasma glycome in human disease.-Oswald, D. M., Sim, E. S., Baker, C., Farhan, O., Debanne, S. M., Morris, N. J., Rodriguez, B. G., Jones, M. B., Cobb, B. A. Plasma glycomics predict cardiovascular disease in patients with ART-controlled HIV infections.
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