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Persistent immune complexes and abnormal CD4/CD8 ratios in HIV infection
S Roy1, W J Morrow, C Christian
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Insights
Persistent immune complexes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were common in gay/bisexual men but did not predict disease progression. This finding impacts understanding of HIV immunopathology.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Circulating immune complexes (CICs) are implicated in various autoimmune and infectious diseases.
- Their role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection pathogenesis and progression remains incompletely understood.
- Understanding CICs in HIV may offer insights into disease management and immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the immunopathologic role of CICs in HIV infection.
- To determine if CICs correlate with disease progression in a cohort of men.
- To assess the prevalence of specific immunoglobulin types (IgM, IgG) in CICs within the HIV-positive population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized serum samples from the San Francisco Men's Health Study, a longitudinal HIV/AIDS research cohort.
- Tested 4,276 sera from 1,023 men for the presence of CICs using a modified enzyme immunoassay.
- Employed monoclonal anti-C1q antibodies for CIC capture and anti-IgG/anti-IgM probes for detection.
Main Results:
- Persistent IgM and IgG CICs were frequently detected in HIV-seropositive homosexual/bisexual men.
- The presence of these CICs did not correlate with disease progression markers.
- No significant association was found between CICs and abnormalities in CD4/CD8 T-cell counts or clinical AIDS/ARC indicators.
Conclusions:
- Persistent CICs are common in HIV-infected gay and bisexual men.
- CICs are not reliable indicators of HIV disease progression or severity.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the specific role, if any, of CICs in HIV pathogenesis.
Abstract:
We assessed the immunopathologic role of circulating immune complexes in human immunodeficiency virus infection by evaluating the data base and the serum bank of the San Francisco Men's Health Study, a longitudinal clinical and epidemiological investigation conducted since 1983. A group of 4,276 sera from 1,023 (including 811 homosexual/bisexual) men were tested for circulating immune complexes. We used a modification of the commercially available enzyme immunoassay test, based on monoclonal anti-C1q antibodies coupled to the solid phase, for capturing circulating immune complexes from the test serum, followed by detection of circulating immune complexes with either anti-IgG or with anti-IgM probes. Although persistent IgM and IgG circulating immune complexes were most frequently encountered in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive homosexual/bisexual men, they were not an indicator of disease progression as assessed by abnormalities in the absolute numbers or ratios of CD4- and CD8-positive T cells, or clinical signs and symptoms of AIDS/ARC.