Search

Alterations in the components of the immune system occur with aging. The introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically improved life expectancy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals by suppressing viral replication and increasing CD4+ T‐cell counts. Immunosenescence‐like changes, including the expansion of memory CD8+ T cells with senescent features, are reported in young HIV‐infected individuals who do not have clinically detectable viremia on ART. However, it is less known whether HIV infection affects the immunosenescent status in older HIV‐infected individuals. Here, we addressed this question in older HIV‐infected, HIV‐uninfected, and frail individuals (all groups age ≥65 years) by examining a set of aging‐associated genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as by analyzing subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in depth using high‐dimensional CyTOF analysis. Older HIV‐infected individuals had increased expression of aging‐associated genes such as CX3CR1 in PBMCs which are related to IL‐7 receptor low effector memory (IL‐7Rαlow EM) CD8+ T cells, a cell population known to expand with age. The subsets of IL‐7Rαlow EM CD8+ T cells expressing senescent, cytotoxic, and inflammatory molecules, including CD57, perforin, and CX3CR1, as well as memory CD4+ T cells expressing CD161 and CXCR3, molecules associated with replication‐competent HIV‐1 harboring cells, were increased in older HIV‐infected individuals. Overall, older HIV‐infected individuals without detectable viremia on ART had augmented levels of age‐associated immune alterations in PBMCs, suggesting that HIV infection has a persistent impact on senescence in older HIV‐infected individuals despite the clinically controlled viremia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Low levels of nasal NO have been associated with increased propensity to rhinosinusitis and respiratory tract infections. Our objective was to describe nasal NO levels in HIV-infected individuals versus healthy controls and determine possible risk factors for reduced nasal NO levels. Materials and Methods. HIV-infected individuals and healthy controls were recruited. Participants underwent nasal NO testing by standardized methods using a CLD88 chemiluminescence analyzer and completed the Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20) on symptoms of rhinosinusitis. Results. Participants included 41 HIV-infected individuals with suppressed VL on antiretroviral therapy (ART group), 5 HIV-infected individuals with detectable VL off ART (viremic group), and 12 healthy controls (HC group). Mean nasal NO level was 253 (±77) nL/min in the ART group, 213 (±48) nL/min in the viremic group, and 289 (±68) nL/min in the HC group (p=0.133; ANOVA). There was no correlation between nasal NO level and VL in viremic individuals (r=-0.200; p=0.747). Differences were observed in mean total points on the SNOT-20 which were 19 (±16)/100, 18 (±26)/100, and 4 (±4)/100 in the ART, viremic, and HC groups, respectively (p=0.013; ANOVA). Conclusion. Healthy individuals, HIV patients on ART, and viremic individuals off ART display similar nasal NO levels. However, rhinosinusitis symptoms remain prominent despite ART-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]