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The esterified plasma fatty acid profile is altered in early HIV‐1 infection
Author(s) -
Peck Michael D.,
ManteroAtienza Emilio,
MiguezBurbano Maria Jose,
Fletcher Mary Ann,
ShorPosner Gail,
Baum Marianna K.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02536052
Subject(s) - clinical chemistry , linoleic acid , lipidology , fatty acid , polyunsaturated fatty acid , medicine , lymphocyte , arachidonic acid , immunology , immune system , pokeweed mitogen , endocrinology , biology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , biochemistry , in vitro , enzyme
Previous studies have shown that alterations in micronutrient utilization occur in patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. In this study, total plasma fatty acid composition was measured in 36 homosexual men infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV‐1) and in 17 HIV‐1 seronegative homosexual men in order to evaluate differences associated with early HIV‐1 infection. Immunologic assessment included CD4 cell number count and lymphocyte blastogenesis in response to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed (PWM). The mean total amount of ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (18∶2 and 20∶4) was significantly lower in the HIV‐1 seropositive subjects (38±8.1% SD) as compared to HIV‐1 seronegative subjects (43±4.2%; P =0.0027). This was also reflected in a higher level of total saturated fatty acids (16∶0 and 18∶0) in HIV‐1 seropositive subjects (30±2.2% vs. 26±2.8%; P =0.0001). The ratio of linoleic to arachidonic acid (18∶2 to 20∶4) was higher in the HIV‐1 seronegative group (6.76±4.88) compared to the HIV‐1 seronegative group (4.86±1.37; P =0.0213). The response to PHA in seropositive subjects correlated inversely with total plasma ω6 fatty acids (r=−0.36; P =0.027), and directly with the 18∶2 to 20∶4 ratio (r=0.33; P =0.046). CD4 cell counts and the response to PWM did not correlate with plasma fatty acid levels in HIV‐1 seropositive subjects. We conclude that early HIV‐1 infection is associated with lower plasma ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, notably arachidonic acid, than are controls, and that the changes in the plasma fatty acid profile correlate with some indices of immune function.