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Lipid‐lowering and anti‐inflammatory effects of tetradecylthioacetic acid in HIV‐infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy
Author(s) -
Fredriksen J.,
Ueland T.,
Dyrøy E.,
Halvorsen B.,
Melby K.,
Melbye L.,
Skalhegg B. S.,
Bohov P.,
Skorve J.,
Berge R. K.,
Aukrust P.,
Frøland S. S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2004.01410.x
Subject(s) - cholesterol , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , medicine , scavenger receptor , pharmacology , immunology , blood lipids , gastroenterology , endocrinology , lipoprotein , biology , biochemistry , in vitro
Background Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) often leads to a dramatic improvement in clinical, viral and immunologic parameters in HIV‐infected individuals. However, the emergence of long‐term side‐effects of HAART and in particular dylipidaemia is increasingly reported. Based on the potential lipid‐lowering and immunomodulatory properties of tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) we examined whether TTA in combination with dietary intervention could modify lipid levels in peripheral blood in HIV‐infected patients on HAART. Materials and methods Ten HIV‐infected patients on protease inhibitor‐based HAART with hyperlipidaemia followed a cholesterol‐lowering diet throughout the study period (8 weeks). During the last 4 weeks of the study all patients received TTA (1 g qd) in addition to the cholesterol‐lowering diet. Results Our main and novel findings were: (i) TTA in combination with dietary intervention reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL/HDL cholesterol in these patients, and a particularly suppressing effect was observed during the TTA phase regarding total cholesterol. (ii) During the TTA phase, the cholesterol‐lowering effect was accompanied by a significant reduction in plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor α. (iii) Our studies in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from these patients and in the liver from wild‐type mice receiving TTA suggest that the hypolipidaemic effects of TTA may involve up‐regulation of scavenger and LDL‐receptor expression. Conclusions Although few patients were studied, the present pilot study suggests that TTA combined with dietary intervention could be an interesting therapeutic approach in HIV‐infected patients on HAART, potentially resulting in both hypolipidaemic and anti‐inflammatory effects.