Chitinase-3-like 1 is associated with stunting and developmental delay in HIV-exposed but uninfected Ugandan children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Immunology
• Neurodevelopmental disorders

Background:

• Chronic systemic inflammation is a concern for children exposed to HIV but uninfected (cHEU).
• This inflammation may negatively impact linear growth and neurodevelopment.
• Biomarkers are needed to identify at-risk cHEU.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between plasma chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) levels and growth/neurodevelopment in Ugandan cHEU.
• To determine if CHI3L1 serves as a marker for adverse outcomes in cHEU.

Main Methods:

• Plasma CHI3L1 concentrations were measured in 153 Ugandan cHEU at 18 months of age.
• Statistical analysis correlated CHI3L1 levels with height-for-age z scores and normalized developmental scores.

Main Results:

• CHI3L1 levels showed a significant inverse correlation with height-for-age z scores (τB = -0.17, P = 0.0035).
• CHI3L1 levels were also inversely correlated with normalized developmental scores (τB = -0.20, P = 0.00027).

Conclusions:

• Plasma CHI3L1 is a potential biomarker for impaired linear growth in cHEU.
• CHI3L1 may also indicate neurodevelopmental deficits in this population.
• These findings suggest CHI3L1's role in adverse growth and development outcomes for cHEU.