Open AccessAdipose tissue expression of IL-18 and HIV-associated lipodystrophy
Author(s) -
Birgitte Lindegaard,
AnnBrit Eg Hansen,
Henriette Pilegaard,
Pernille Keller,
Jan Gerstoft,
Bente Klarlund Pedersen
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
aids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.195
H-Index - 216
eISSN - 1473-5571
pISSN - 0269-9370
DOI - 10.1097/00002030-200409240-00013
Subject(s) - lipodystrophy , adipose tissue , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , medicine , immunology , antiretroviral therapy , viral load
IL-18 is an inducer of apoptosis/tissue injury. IL-18 messenger RNA expression was examined in adipose tissue (AT) obtained from HIV patients with lipodystrophy, without lipodystrophy and healthy controls. IL-18 mRNA was expressed in AT at increased levels in lipodystrophy-positive compared with lipodystrophy-negative patients and healthy controls. Higher levels of IL-18 mRNA were found in femoral-gluteal AT compared with abdominal AT, and correlated with limb fat loss. These findings suggest that IL-18 is linked to HIV-associated lipodystrophy.