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GBV‐C coinfection is negatively correlated to Fas expression and Fas‐mediated apoptosis in HIV‐1 infected patients
Author(s) -
Moenkemeyer Maren,
Schmidt Reinhold E.,
Wedemeyer Heiner,
Tillmann Hans L.,
Heiken Hans
Publication year - 2008
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.21305
Subject(s) - coinfection , gb virus c , apoptosis , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , flow cytometry , virology , fas ligand , immunology , hepatitis c virus , virus , biology , fas receptor , medicine , programmed cell death , flaviviridae , in vitro , biochemistry
Persistent coinfection with the apathogenic GB virus C (GBV‐C) is associated with slower disease progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐1 infection. Aim of this study was to investigate whether Fas plays a role in this beneficial effect. Fas expression and susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis (FMA) was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HIV‐1 patients coinfected and non‐coinfected with GBV‐C. Fas expression and function was evaluated in 42 GBV‐C coinfected and 101 non‐coinfected HIV‐1 patients. Thirteen healthy and 11 Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐monoinfected individuals were analyzed as controls. Cell surface Fas expression was determined by flow cytometric analysis. Apoptosis was evaluated by staining with Annexin V and Viaprobe followed by multiparameter flow cytometry analysis. In untreated HIV‐1 patients GBV‐C coinfection was associated with significantly lower percentage of Fas expressing cells as compared to GBV‐C non‐coinfected individuals. Expression of Fas was directly correlated with sensitivity to Fas‐mediated apoptosis. Sensitivity to FMA was unchanged in GBV‐C coinfected patients. PBMCs of patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) did not show such a difference. Untreated HIV‐1 patients with GBV‐C coinfection have reduced cell surface Fas expression. Lower FMA of T‐cells might contribute to prolonged survival of GBV‐C coinfected HIV‐1 patients. J. Med. Virol. 80:1933–1940, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.