Helminth-Associated Systemic Immune Activation and HIV Co-receptor Expression: Response to Albendazole/Praziquantel Treatment

20Citations
Citations of this article
67Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Background:It has been hypothesized that helminth infections increase HIV susceptibility by enhancing systemic immune activation and hence contribute to elevated HIV-1 transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.Objective:To study systemic immune activation and HIV-1 co-receptor expression in relation to different helminth infections and in response to helminth treatment.Methods:HIV-negative adults with (n = 189) or without (n = 57) different helminth infections, as diagnosed by Kato-Katz, were enrolled in Mbeya, Tanzania. Blinded to helminth infection status, T cell differentiation (CD45RO, CD27), activation (HLA-DR, CD38) and CCR5 expression was determined at baseline and 3 months after Albendazole/Praziquantel treatment. Plasma cytokine levels were compared using a cytometric bead array.Results:Trichuris and Ascaris infections were linked to increased frequencies of "activated" CD4 and/or CD8 T cells (p<0.05), whereas Hookworm infection was associated with a trend towards decreased HLA-DR+ CD8 T cell frequencies (p = 0.222). In Trichuris infected subjects, there was a linear correlation between HLA-DR+ CD4 T cell frequencies and the cytokines IL-1β and IL-10 (p<0.05). Helminth treatment with Albendazole and Praziquantel significantly decreased eosinophilia for S. mansoni and Hookworm infections (p<0.005) but not for Trichuris infection and only moderately modulated T cell activation. CCR5 surface density on memory CD4 T cells was increased by 1.2-fold during Trichuris infection (p-value: 0.053) and reduced after treatment (p = 0.003).Conclusions:Increased expression of T cell activation markers was associated with Trichuris and Ascaris infections with relatively little effect of helminth treatment. © 2014 Chachage et al.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Chachage, M., Podola, L., Clowes, P., Nsojo, A., Bauer, A., Mgaya, O., … Geldmacher, C. (2014). Helminth-Associated Systemic Immune Activation and HIV Co-receptor Expression: Response to Albendazole/Praziquantel Treatment. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002755

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free