TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of GBV-C infection on the endogenous activation of the IFN system in HIV-1 co-infected patients
AU - Capobianchi, M. R.
AU - Lalle, E.
AU - Martini, F.
AU - Poccia, F.
AU - D'Offizi, G.
AU - Antonucci, G.
AU - Abbate, I.
AU - Dianzani, F.
PY - 2006/5/15
Y1 - 2006/5/15
N2 - Background: GB virus C (GBV-C) co-infection is associated with a better prognosis in HIV-infected persons. Since interferon activation can be one of the possible mechanisms involved in GBV-C-driven protection against HIV, we compared the endogenous activation of the interferon system in PBMC from GBV-C-positive and - negative patients infected with HIV-1. Methods: The expression of interferon related genes was analyzed in 20 GBV-C positive and 20 GBV-C-negative HIV-infected patients, comparable in terms of CD4 cell counts and HIV viral loads. The levels of mRNA for interferon-related genes (2-5-OAS, MxA, interferon AR-1 and PKR) in PBMC were measured by real time RT-PCR, using β-actin as internal control. Results: The endogenous levels of all the interferon-related genes in HIV/GBV-C co-infected patients were higher than in HIV mono-infected subjects. The difference was statistically significant for PKR mRNA. Direct positive correlation was found between PKR and all the other interferon-related genes, suggesting a coordinated activation of the interferon system. Conclusions: Enhanced activation of the interferon system occurs in GBV-C-positive, as compared to GBV-C-negative patients harbouring HIV-1. These data may be relevant to understand the GBV-C-driven protection against HIV, suggesting that the endogenous activation of the interferon system can contribute to the control of HIV replication.
AB - Background: GB virus C (GBV-C) co-infection is associated with a better prognosis in HIV-infected persons. Since interferon activation can be one of the possible mechanisms involved in GBV-C-driven protection against HIV, we compared the endogenous activation of the interferon system in PBMC from GBV-C-positive and - negative patients infected with HIV-1. Methods: The expression of interferon related genes was analyzed in 20 GBV-C positive and 20 GBV-C-negative HIV-infected patients, comparable in terms of CD4 cell counts and HIV viral loads. The levels of mRNA for interferon-related genes (2-5-OAS, MxA, interferon AR-1 and PKR) in PBMC were measured by real time RT-PCR, using β-actin as internal control. Results: The endogenous levels of all the interferon-related genes in HIV/GBV-C co-infected patients were higher than in HIV mono-infected subjects. The difference was statistically significant for PKR mRNA. Direct positive correlation was found between PKR and all the other interferon-related genes, suggesting a coordinated activation of the interferon system. Conclusions: Enhanced activation of the interferon system occurs in GBV-C-positive, as compared to GBV-C-negative patients harbouring HIV-1. These data may be relevant to understand the GBV-C-driven protection against HIV, suggesting that the endogenous activation of the interferon system can contribute to the control of HIV replication.
KW - GB virus type C
KW - Human Immunodeficiency Virus
KW - Interferon Activation
KW - mRNA
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M3 - Article
C2 - 16914092
AN - SCOPUS:33745264387
SN - 0145-5680
VL - 52
SP - 3
EP - 8
JO - Cellular and Molecular Biology
JF - Cellular and Molecular Biology
IS - 1
ER -