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Interleukin‐7 levels may predict virological response in advanced HIV‐1‐infected patients receiving lopinavir/ritonavir‐based therapy
Author(s) -
Boulassel MR,
Smith GHR,
Gilmore N,
Klein M,
Murphy T,
MacLeod J,
LeBlanc R,
Allan J,
René P,
Lalonde RG,
Routy JP
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
hiv medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.53
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1468-1293
pISSN - 1464-2662
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-1293.2003.00165.x
Subject(s) - lopinavir , medicine , ritonavir , lopinavir/ritonavir , viral load , immunology , immune system , flow cytometry , prospective cohort study , t cell , gastroenterology , antiretroviral therapy , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Objectives To examine the relationship between levels of the T‐cell regulatory cytokine interleukin‐7 (IL‐7) and CD4 cell counts during immune reconstitution and to assess its prognostic value in advanced HIV‐1‐infected patients receiving lopinavir/ritonavir‐based therapy. Methods Thirty‐six HIV‐1‐infected adults who completed 48 weeks of follow‐up visits were included in this prospective study. Patients having failed two or more antiretroviral therapy regimens were treated with lopinavir/ritonavir‐based therapy. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine IL‐7 plasma levels, flow cytometry was used to analyse cell surface antigens, and polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify plasma HIV‐1. Results Pretreatment IL‐7 levels were elevated in all patients (mean 11.0 pg/mL) and were negatively correlated with CD4 cell counts and age ( r =−0.59, P <0.001 and r =−0.57, P <0.001, respectively). During the course of treatment, IL‐7 levels decreased by 34% while CD4 cell numbers progressively increased by 88%. Multivariate regression analysis showed that only pretreatment IL‐7 levels predicted viral load at 48 weeks when controlling for baseline CD4 cell counts, viral load and patient demographics. Conclusions These findings are consistent with regulation of T‐cell recovery by IL‐7, and suggest that IL‐7 measurements might be used to predict virological response.