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RANKL/OPG/TRAIL plasma levels and bone mass loss evaluation in antiretroviral naive HIV‐1‐positive men
Author(s) -
Gibellini Davide,
Borderi Marco,
De Crignis Elisa,
Cicola Ronny,
Vescini Fabio,
Caudarella Renata,
Chiodo Francesco,
Re Maria Carla
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.20938
Subject(s) - rankl , osteopenia , osteoprotegerin , osteoporosis , bone mineral , medicine , immunology , endocrinology , tumor necrosis factor alpha , receptor , activator (genetics)
Osteopenia and osteoporosis are common in HIV‐1‐infected individuals and represent a challenge in clinical and therapeutic management. This report investigated osteopenia/osteoporosis in a group of 31 antiretroviral naive HIV‐1‐positive men and the role of specific molecules belonging to TNF and the TNF‐receptor family in HIV‐1‐related bone mass loss. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), the receptor activator of NF‐κb‐ligand (RANKL), and the TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) were significantly increased in the plasma of antiretroviral naive HIV‐1‐positive patients compared to a control group of healthy blood donors. In addition, TRAIL and RANKL plasma concentrations were positively correlated to HIV‐1‐RNA viral load. Measurement of bone mineral density in 20 out of 31 HIV‐1‐positive subjects disclosed osteopenia/osteoporosis in 40% of these patients. The antiretroviral naive HIV‐1‐positive subjects with low bone mineral density had a decreased plasma OPG/RANKL ratio and a plasma RANKL concentration >500 pg/ml. Together, these data indicate that plasma concentrations of specific factors involved in bone homeostasis were increased during HIV‐1 infection and that RANKL and OPG/RANKL ratio deregulation may be involved in osteopenia/osteoporosis occurring in antiretroviral naive HIV‐1 individuals. J. Med. Virol. 79:1446–1454, 2007. © Wiley‐Liss, Inc.