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Dysregulated iron transport and a compromised blood-brain barrier are implicated in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). We quantified the levels of proteins involved in iron transport and/or angiogenesis-ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-as well as biomarkers of neuroinflammation, in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 405 individuals with HIV infection and comprehensive neuropsychiatric assessments. Associations with HAND [defined by a Global Deficit Score (GDS) ≥ 0.5, GDS as a continuous measure (cGDS), or by Frascati criteria] were evaluated for the highest versus lowest tertile of each biomarker, adjusting for potential confounders. Higher CSF VEGF was associated with GDS-defined impairment [odds ratio (OR) 2.17, p = 0.006] and cGDS in unadjusted analyses and remained associated with GDS impairment after adjustment (p = 0.018). GDS impairment was also associated with higher CSF ceruloplasmin (p = 0.047) and with higher ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin in persons with minimal comorbidities (ORs 2.37 and 2.13, respectively; both p = 0.043). In persons with minimal comorbidities, higher ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin were associated with HAND by Frascati criteria (both p

Obesity and other metabolic variables are associated with abnormal brain structural volumes and cognitive dysfunction in HIV-uninfected populations. Since individuals with HIV infection on combined antiretroviral therapy (CART) often have systemic metabolic abnormalities and changes in brain morphology and function, we examined associations among brain volumes and metabolic factors in the multisite CNS HIV AntiRetroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) cohort, cross-sectional study of 222 HIV-infected individuals. Metabolic variables included body mass index (BMI), total blood cholesterol (C), low- and high-density lipoprotein C (LDL-C and HDL-C), blood pressure, random blood glucose, and diabetes. MRI measured volumes of cerebral white matter, abnormal white matter, cortical and subcortical gray matter, and ventricular and sulcal CSF. Multiple linear regression models allowed us to examine metabolic variables separately and in combination to predict each regional volume. Greater BMI was associated with smaller cortical gray and larger white matter volumes. Higher total cholesterol (C) levels were associated with smaller cortex volumes; higher LDL-C was associated with larger cerebral white matter volumes, while higher HDL-C levels were associated with larger sulci. Higher blood glucose levels and diabetes were associated with more abnormal white matter. Multiple atherogenic metabolic factors contribute to regional brain volumes in HIV-infected, CART-treated patients, reflecting associations similar to those found in HIV-uninfected individuals. These risk factors may accelerate cerebral atherosclerosis and consequent brain alterations and cognitive dysfunction.

Because HIV-related neurocognitive impairment is usually mild and variable, clinical ratings (CR) and global deficit scores (GDS) are recommended for detecting HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). The CR approach requires impairment in at least two ability domains while the GDS considers number and severity of impairments across all measures. We examined classification agreement and clinical correlates of the two methods. Neurocognitive functioning of 1574 HIV-infected participants was assessed via a comprehensive, seven-domain neuropsychological battery. Global neurocognitive impairment was defined for each participant independently by CR and GDS. Participants were classified into four categories (Dually-normal, [impaired by] CR-only, [impaired by] GDS-only, or Dually-impaired). There was 83% concordance between CR and GDS classifications; in total, 56% of participants were deemed impaired by CR and 41% were classified as impaired by GDS. Impairment by GDS virtually guaranteed CR impairment, but 16% of participants were additionally classified as impaired only by CR. As compared to Dually-normal participants, those classified as Dually and CR-only impaired were more likely to have AIDS, have more severe co-occurring conditions, have more severe depressive symptoms, be unemployed, and have more everyday functioning complaints (ps

Three types of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) exist that are distinguished by presence and severity of impairment in cognitive and everyday functioning. Although well-validated neurocognitive measures exist, determining impairment in everyday functioning remains a challenge. We aim to determine whether Self-Report measures of everyday functioning are as effective in characterizing HAND as Performance-Based measures. We assessed 674 HIV-infected participants with a comprehensive neurocognitive battery; 233 met criteria for a HAND diagnosis by having at least mild neurocognitive impairment. Functional decline was measured via Self-Report and Performance-Based measures. HAND diagnoses were determined according to published criteria using three approaches to assess functional decline: (1) Self-Report measures only, (2) Performance-Based measures only, and (3) Dual-method combining Self-Report and Performance-Based measures. The Dual-method classified the most symptomatic HAND, compared to either singular method. Singular method classifications were 76% concordant with each other. Participants classified as Performance-Based functionally impaired were more likely to be unemployed and more immunosuppressed, whereas those classified as Self-Report functionally impaired had more depressive symptoms. Multimodal methods of assessing everyday functioning facilitate detection of symptomatic HAND. Singular Performance-Based classifications were associated with objective functional and disease-related factors; reliance on Self-Report classifications may be biased by depressive symptoms.

Combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) has greatly reduced medical morbidity and mortality with HIV infection, but high rates of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) continue to be reported. Because large HIV-infected (HIV+) and uninfected (HIV-) groups have not been studied with similar methods in the pre-CART and CART eras, it is unclear whether CART has changed the prevalence, nature, and clinical correlates of HAND. We used comparable methods of subject screening and assessments to classify neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in large groups of HIV + and HIV - participants from the pre-CART era (1988-1995; N=857) and CART era (2000-2007; N=937). Impairment rate increased with successive disease stages (CDC stages A, B, and C) in both eras: 25%, 42%, and 52% in pre-CART era and 36%, 40%, and 45% in CART era. In the medically asymptomatic stage (CDC-A), NCI was significantly more common in the. CART era. Low nadir CD4 predicted NCI in both eras, whereas degree of current immunosuppression, estimated duration of infection, and viral suppression in CSF (on treatment) were related to impairment only pre-CART. Pattern of NCI also differed: pre-CART had more impairment in motor skills, cognitive speed, and verbal fluency, whereas CART era involved more memory (learning) and executive function impairment. High rates of mild NCI persist at all stages of HIV infection, despite improved viral suppression and immune reconstitution with CART. The consistent association of NCI with nadir CD4 across eras suggests that earlier treatment to prevent severe immunosuppression may also help prevent HAND. Clinical trials targeting HAND prevention should specifically examine timing of ART initiation. © The Author(s) 2010.

ObjectivesThis is a cross-sectional, observational study to determine the frequency and associated features of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in a large, diverse sample of infected individuals in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (CART).MethodsA total of 1,555 HIV-infected adults were recruited from 6 university clinics across the United States, with minimal exclusions. We used standardized neuromedical, psychiatric, and neuropsychological (NP) examinations, and recently published criteria for diagnosing HAND and classifying 3 levels of comorbidity (minimal to severe non-HIV risks for NP impairment).ResultsFifty-two percent of the total sample had NP impairment, with higher rates in groups with greater comorbidity burden (40%, 59%, and 83%). Prevalence estimates for specific HAND diagnoses (excluding severely confounded cases) were 33% for asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment, 12% for mild neurocognitive disorder, and only 2% for HIV-associated dementia (HAD). Among participants with minimal comorbidities (n = 843), history of low nadir CD4 was a strong predictor of impairment, and the lowest impairment rate on CART occurred in the subset with suppressed plasma viral loads and nadir CD4 ≥200 cells/mm(3) (30% vs 47% in remaining subgroups).ConclusionsThe most severe HAND diagnosis (HAD) was rare, but milder forms of impairment remained common, even among those receiving CART who had minimal comorbidities. Future studies should clarify whether early disease events (e.g., profound CD4 decline) may trigger chronic CNS changes, and whether early CART prevents or reverses these changes.

Objectives: Higher CSF antiretroviral concentrations may be associated with better control of HIV replication and neurocognitive performance, but only the unbound fraction of antiretrovirals is available to inhibit HIV. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine total and unbound darunavir concentrations in CSF and compare findings with plasma concentrations as well as the wild-type HIV-1 90% inhibitory concentration (IC(90)).Methods: Subjects with HIV infection were selected based on the use of darunavir-containing regimens with a twice-daily dosing schedule and availability of stored CSF and matched plasma. Total darunavir was measured by HPLC for plasma or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS) for CSF. Plasma unbound darunavir was measured by ultrafiltration and LC/MS/MS. CSF protein binding was determined by competitive binding exchange with radiolabelled darunavir.Results: Twenty-nine matched CSF-plasma pairs were analysed and darunavir was detected in all CSF specimens (median total concentration 55.8 ng/mL), with a CSF unbound fraction of 93.5%. Median fractional penetrance was 1.4% of median total and 9.4% of median unbound plasma concentrations. Unbound darunavir concentrations in CSF exceeded the median IC(90) for wild-type HIV in all subjects by a median of 20.6-fold, despite the relatively low fractional penetrance. Total darunavir concentrations in CSF correlated with both total and unbound darunavir concentrations in plasma.Conclusions: Darunavir should contribute to the control of HIV replication in the CNS as a component of effective combination antiretroviral regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of nonthymidine nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) on fat mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and function is unclear.Methods: A5202 randomized antiretroviral therapy-naive human immunodeficiency virus-infected subjects to abacavir-lamivudine (ABC/3TC) versus tenofovir DF-emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) with efavirenz (EFV) or atazanavir-ritonavir (ATV/r). A5224s, substudy of A5202, enrolled 269 subjects with fat measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography. A subset of subjects underwent fat biopsies at baseline and week 96 for mtDNA content (real-time polymerase chain reaction) and oxidative phosphorylation nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced) dehydrogenase (complex I) and cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV) activity levels (immunoassays). Intent-to-treat analyses were performed using analysis of variance and paired t tests.Results: Fifty-six subjects (87% male; median age, 39 years) were included; their median body mass index, CD4 cell count, and fat mtDNA level were 26 kg/m(2), 227 cells/μL, and 1197 copies/cell, respectively. Fat mtDNA content decreased within the ABC/3TC and TDF/FTC groups (combining EFV and ATV/r arms; median change, -341 [interquartile range, -848 to 190; P = .03] and -400 [-661 to -221; P < .001] copies/cell, respectively), but these changes did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P = .57). Complex I and IV activity decreased significantly in the TDF/FTC group (median change, -12.45 [interquartile range, -24.70 to 2.90; P = .003] and -8.25 [-13.90 to -1.30; P < .001], optical density × 10(3)/µg, respectively) but not the ABC/3TC group. Differences between the ABC/3TC and TDF/FTC groups were significant for complex I (P = .03).Conclusions: ABC/3TC and TDF/FTC significantly and similarly decreased fat mtDNA content, but only TDF/FTC decreased complex I and complex IV activity levels.Clinical Trials Registration: NCT00118898. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid efflux across the region of the amnion overlying the placenta is an essential component of the intramembranous absorption pathway that maintains amniotic fluid volume homeostasis. Dysregulation of this pathway may result in adverse pregnancy outcomes, however the factors controlling amnion permeability are unknown. Here, we report a novel mechanism that increases placental amnion permeability. Pre-B Cell Colony Enhancing Factor (PBEF) is a stress-responsive cytokine expressed by the human amnion, and is known to induce Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) production by other cell types. Interestingly, VEGF is up-regulated in the ovine amnion when intramembranous absorption is augmented. In this study, we show that PBEF induced VEGF secretion by primary human amniotic epithelial cells (AEC) derived from the placental amnion, as well as from the reflected amnion that lines the remainder of the gestational sac. Further, PBEF treatment led to the increased expression of VEGFR2 in placental AEC, but not reflected AEC. To test the hypothesis that PBEF and VEGF increase placental amnion permeability, we monitored the transfer of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) from the fetal to the maternal side of human amnion explants. A treatment regimen including both PBEF and VEGF increased the rate of DCF transfer across the placental amnion, but not the reflected amnion. In summary, our results suggest that by augmenting VEGFR2 expression in the placental amnion, PBEF primes the tissue for a VEGF-mediated increase in permeability. This mechanism may have important implications in amniotic fluid volume control throughout gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have higher risk than HIV-negative individuals for diseases associated with aging. T-cell senescence, characterized by expansion of cells lacking the costimulatory molecule CD28, has been hypothesized to mediate these risks.Methods: We measured the percentage of CD28(-)CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from HIV-infected treatment-naive adults from 5 Adult Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) antiretroviral therapy (ART) studies and the ALLRT (ACTG Longitudinal Linked Randomized Trials) cohort, and from 48 HIV-negative adults. Pretreatment and 96-week posttreatment %CD28(-) cells were assessed using linear regression for associations with age, sex, race/ethnicity, CD4 count, HIV RNA, ART regimen, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.Results: In total, 1291 chronically HIV-infected adults were studied. Pretreatment, lower CD4 count was associated with higher %CD28(-)CD4(+) and %CD28(-)CD8(+) cells. For CD8(+) cells, younger age and HCV infection were associated with a lower %CD28(-). ART reduced %CD28(-) levels at week 96 among virally suppressed individuals. Older age was strongly predictive of higher %CD28(-)CD8(+). Compared to HIV-uninfected individuals, HIV-infected individuals maintained significantly higher %CD28(-).Conclusions: Effective ART reduced the proportion of CD28(-) T cells. However, levels remained abnormally high and closer to levels in older HIV-uninfected individuals. This finding may inform future research of increased rates of age-associated disease in HIV-infected adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5202 compared blinded abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) to tenofovir DF/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) with efavirenz (EFV) or atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected treatment-naive patients, stratified by screening HIV RNA (< or ≥ 10(5) copies/mL). Due to higher virologic failure with ABC/3TC in the high HIV RNA stratum, blinded treatment was stopped in this group, but study follow-up continued for all patients.Methods: Primary endpoints were times to virologic failure, regimen modification, and safety event.Results: In the low HIV RNA stratum, time to virologic failure was similar for ABC/3TC vs TDF/FTC with ATV/r (hazard ratio [HR] 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76, 2.05) or EFV (HR 1.23, 95% CI 0.77, 1.96), with significantly shorter times to regimen modification for ABC/3TC with EFV or ATV/r and to safety events with EFV. Prior to stopping blinded treatment in the high stratum, higher virologic failure rates were seen with ABC/3TC with EFV (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.20, 5.05) or ATV/r (HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.19, 4.14).Conclusions: In the low HIV RNA stratum, times to virologic failure for ABC/3TC or TDF/FTC were not different with EFV or ATV/r. In the high stratum, virologic failure rate was significantly higher for ABC/3TC than for TDF/FTC when given with either EFV or ATV/r. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim of the study: Bamboo leaves are used as a component in traditional Chinese medicine for the anti-inflammatory function. Our previous studies have demonstrated that an ethanol/water extract from Phyllostachys edulis ameliorated obesity-associated chronic systemic inflammation in mice, and therefore relieving the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. The aim of this project was to further investigate the effects of this bamboo extract on hepatic biotransformation enzymes in both lean and obese mice, as an initial step in the toxicological evaluation of using this traditional medicine in obese/diabetic population. Materials and methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were randomized to 4 groups and fed standard (10% kcal from fat) diet with or without bamboo extract supplementation at a dose of 10gram per kilogram diet (n =10 and n =9, respectively), or high fat (45% kcal from fat) diet with or without bamboo extract (n =8 and N =7, respectively). The dietary treatment lasted for 6 months. Subsequently, the activities and expression of the major Phase I and II hepatic biotransformation enzymes were assessed in subcellular fractions from murine livers. Results: Three groups of mice, lean bamboo extract-supplemented, obese/diabetic, and bamboo extract-supplemented obese/diabetic, showed greater activities of cytochromes P450 1a2 and 3a11 compared to control but no changes in the expression level of these proteins. For Phase II enzymes, bamboo extract supplementation in lean mice caused decreased glutathione-S-transferase activity (−12%) and greater uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity (+46%), but had no effect on sulfotransferase activity. Conversely, the obese/diabetic condition itself increased glutathione-S-transferase and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activities, but decreased total sulfotransferase activity and sulfotransferase 2a1 expression. Conclusions: Bamboo extract and obesity/diabetes show significant independent effects on hepatic biotransformation as well as interaction effects in mice. These changes may alter the clearance of endo- and xenobiotics, including bamboo extract itself, hence this effect should be carefully considered in the medicinal application of bamboo extract as it has potential to alter its own metabolism and that of other medications concurrently administered to obese diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is difficult, and methods to increase it are needed. METHODS: We tested the impact of supportive telephone calls in an adherence substudy of a treatment trial. Subjects initiating antiretroviral therapy received either each site's usual adherence support measures or usual support measures and scripted serial telephone calls (16 calls during 96 weeks). RESULTS: A total of 282 subjects enrolled: 140 in the usual support measures group and 142 in the calls group. A total of 75% of expected calls were completed. Virologic failure occurred in 97 (34%) subjects: 52 (37%) of those in the usual support measures group and 45 (32%) of those in the calls group; time to virologic failure was not different (P=.32). In each group, >72% of subjects reported > or =95% adherence, with no difference between groups. Independent predictors of higher rates of virologic failure were <95% adherence, receiving the 4-drug regimen with nelfinavir, and female sex; older age was associated with decreased likelihood of virologic failure. Receiving the 4-drug regimen with nelfinavir, higher stress scores, older age, and higher call completion rates were independently associated with higher adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Serial telephone calls did not improve virologic outcome but had an impact on self-reported adherence. Copyright © 2005 Infectious Diseases Society of America [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare long-term virologic benefits of antiretroviral regimens in persons with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, a randomized, open-label study was conducted of 517 subjects with no or limited previous experience with antiretroviral therapy. Subjects received lamivudine plus zidovudine and indinavir (indinavir group), efavirenz plus indinavir (efavirenz + indinavir group), or nelfinavir plus indinavir (nelfinavir + indinavir group) and were monitored for 2.1 years. Virologic failure was lower in the efavirenz + indinavir group (P=.04) and higher in the nelfinavir + indinavir group (P=.006), compared with that in the indinavir group. No difference in grade 3 or 4 adverse event rates in the efavirenz + indinavir group (P=.97) and a trend toward an increased rate in the nelfinavir + indinavir group (P=.07), compared with the indinavir group, were noted. A 4-drug regimen containing efavirenz plus indinavir resulted in a superior virologic response, whereas one containing nelfinavir plus indinavir resulted in an inferior response and a greater likelihood of toxicity. Copyright © 2003 The University of Chicago [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study relationships between acquisition of cytomegalovirus (CMV), sexual activity, and sexually transmitted diseases, 245 CMV-seronegative women were followed (median, 23 months) in a sexually transmitted disease clinic between 1980 and 1988. Thirty-six (15%) seroconverted (10%-12%/year). At entry, seroconverters were younger (P = .03), were younger at sexual debut (P = .004), and had more sex partners (P = .004) than non-seroconverters. During follow-up, seroconverters had more sex partners, had more new sex partners (P = .05 for each), and were more likely to have gonorrhea, chlamydia, or pelvic inflammatory disease. At seroconversion, Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from cervix in 14%, versus 3% of non-seroconverters (odds ratio [OR], 4.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-14.9). Signs of upper genital tract infection were present in 8% of seroconverters versus 2% of non-seroconverters (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 1.0-21.8). Acquisition of CMV in these women was associated with sexual activity, sexually transmitted diseases, and signs of upper genital tract infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of fixed-dose combination nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) with a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor or a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor is recommended as initial therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, but which NRTI combination has greater efficacy and safety is not known.Methods: In a randomized, blinded equivalence study involving 1858 eligible patients, we compared four once-daily antiretroviral regimens as initial therapy for HIV-1 infection: abacavir-lamivudine or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF)-emtricitabine plus efavirenz or ritonavir-boosted atazanavir. The primary efficacy end point was the time from randomization to virologic failure (defined as a confirmed HIV-1 RNA level > or = 1000 copies per milliliter at or after 16 weeks and before 24 weeks, or > or = 200 copies per milliliter at or after 24 weeks).Results: A scheduled interim review by an independent data and safety monitoring board showed significant differences in virologic efficacy, according to the NRTI combination, among patients with screening HIV-1 RNA levels of 100,000 copies per milliliter or more. At a median follow-up of 60 weeks, among the 797 patients with screening HIV-1 RNA levels of 100,000 copies per milliliter or more, the time to virologic failure was significantly shorter in the abacavir-lamivudine group than in the tenofovir DF-emtricitabine group (hazard ratio, 2.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.46 to 3.72; P<0.001), with 57 virologic failures (14%) in the abacavir-lamivudine group versus 26 (7%) in the tenofovir DF-emtricitabine group. The time to the first adverse event was also shorter in the abacavir-lamivudine group (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between the study groups in the change from the baseline CD4 cell count at week 48.Conclusions: In patients with screening HIV-1 RNA levels of 100,000 copies per milliliter or more, the times to virologic failure and the first adverse event were both significantly shorter in patients randomly assigned to abacavir-lamivudine than in those assigned to tenofovir DF-emtricitabine. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00118898.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Combination antiretroviral therapy with indinavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine can suppress the level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA in plasma below the threshold of detection for two years or more. We investigated whether a less intensive maintenance regimen could sustain viral suppression after an initial response to combination therapy.Methods: HIV-infected subjects who had CD4 cell counts greater than 200 per cubic millimeter, who had been treated with indinavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine, and who had less than 200 copies of HIV RNA per milliliter of plasma after 16, 20, and 24 weeks of induction therapy were randomly assigned to receive either continued triple-drug therapy (106 subjects), indinavir alone (103 subjects), or a combination of zidovudine and lamivudine (107 subjects). The primary end point was loss of viral suppression, which was defined as a plasma level of at least 200 copies of HIV RNA per milliliter on two consecutive measurements during maintenance therapy.Results: During maintenance treatment, 23 percent of the subjects receiving indinavir and 23 percent of those receiving zidovudine and lamivudine, but only 4 percent of those receiving all three drugs, had loss of viral suppression (P<0.001 for the comparison between triple-drug therapy and the other two maintenance regimens). Subjects with greater increases in CD4 cell counts during induction therapy, higher viral loads at base line (i.e., at the beginning of induction therapy), and slower rates of viral clearance were at greater risk for loss of viral suppression. The presence of zidovudine-resistance mutations in HIV RNA at base line was strongly predictive of the loss of viral suppression in subjects treated with zidovudine and lamivudine.Conclusions: The suppression of plasma HIV RNA after six months of treatment with indinavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine is better sustained by the continuation of these three drugs than by maintenance therapy with either indinavir alone or zidovudine and lamivudine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess how antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation during acute or early HIV infection (AEHI) affects the viral reservoir and host immune responses., Design: Single-arm trial of ART initiation during AEHI at 30 sites in the Americas, Africa, and Asia., Methods: HIV DNA was measured at week 48 of ART in 5 million CD4 + T cells by sensitive qPCR assays targeting HIV gag and pol . Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with potential HIV T cell epitope peptide pools consisting of env , gag , nef, and pol peptides and stained for expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, and intracellular cytokines/chemokines., Results: From 2017 to 2019, 188 participants initiated ART during Fiebig stages I ( n  = 6), II ( n  = 43), III ( n  = 56), IV ( n  = 23), and V ( n  = 60). Median age was 27 years (interquartile range 23-38), 27 (14%) participants were female, and 180 (97%) cisgender. Among 154 virally suppressed participants at week 48, 100% had detectable HIV gag or pol DNA. Participants treated during Fiebig I had the lowest HIV DNA levels ( P  < 0.001). Week 48 HIV DNA mostly did not correlate with concurrent CD4 + or CD8 + T cell HIV-specific immune responses (rho range -0.11 to +0.19, all P  > 0.025). At week 48, the magnitude, but not polyfunctionality, of HIV-specific T cell responses was moderately reduced among participants who initiated ART earliest., Conclusion: Earlier ART initiation during AEHI reduced but did not eliminate the persistence of HIV-infected cells in blood. These findings explain the rapid viral rebound observed after ART cessation in early-treated individuals with undetectable HIV DNA by less sensitive methods., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), persons living with HIV harbor reservoirs of persistently infected CD4+ cells, which constitute a barrier to cure. Initiation of ART during acute infection reduces the size of the HIV reservoir, and we hypothesized that in addition, it would favor integration of proviruses in HIV-specific CD4+ T cells, while initiation of ART during chronic HIV infection would favor relatively more proviruses in herpesvirus-specific cells. We further hypothesized that proviruses in acute ART initiators would be integrated into antiviral genes, whereas integration sites (ISs) in chronic ART initiators would favor genes associated with cell proliferation and exhaustion. We found that the HIV DNA distribution across HIV-specific versus herpesvirus-specific CD4+ T cells was as hypothesized. HIV ISs in acute ART initiators were significantly enriched in gene sets controlling lipid metabolism and HIF-1α-mediated hypoxia, both metabolic pathways active in early HIV infection. Persistence of these infected cells during prolonged ART suggests a survival advantage. ISs in chronic ART initiators were enriched in a gene set controlling EZH2 histone methylation, and methylation has been associated with diminished long terminal repeat transcription. These differences that we found in antigen specificities and IS distributions within HIV-infected cells might be leveraged in designing cure strategies tailored to the timing of ART initiation.

Objective: The primary objective of the study was to assess the immunogenicity of an HIV-1 Gag conserved element DNA vaccine (p24CE DNA) in people with HIV (PWH) receiving suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART)., Design: AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5369 was a phase I/IIa, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of PWH receiving ART with plasma HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml, current CD4 + T-cell counts greater than 500 cells/μl, and nadir CD4 + T-cell counts greater than 350 cells/μl., Methods: The study enrolled 45 participants randomized 2 : 1 : 1 to receive p24CE DNA vaccine at weeks 0 and 4, followed by p24CE DNA admixed with full-length p55 Gag DNA vaccine at weeks 12 and 24 (arm A); full-length p55 Gag DNA vaccine at weeks 0, 4, 12, and 24 (arm B); or placebo at weeks 0, 4, 12, and 24 (arm C). The active and placebo vaccines were administered by intramuscular electroporation., Results: There was a modest, but significantly greater increase in the number of conserved elements recognized by CD4 + and/or CD8 + T cells in arm A compared with arm C ( P  = 0.014). The percentage of participants with an increased number of conserved elements recognized by T cells was also highest in arm A (8/18, 44.4%) vs. arm C (0/10, 0.0%) ( P  = 0.025). There were no significant differences between treatment groups in the change in magnitude of responses to total conserved elements., Conclusion: A DNA-delivered HIV-1 Gag conserved element vaccine boosted by a combination of this vaccine with a full-length p55 Gag DNA vaccine induced a new conserved element-directed cellular immune response in approximately half the treated PWH on ART., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To develop an injectable dosage form of the daily oral HIV drugs, tenofovir (T), lamivudine (L), and dolutegravir (D), creating a single, complete, all-in-one TLD 3-drug-combination that demonstrates long-acting pharmacokinetics., Design: Using drug-combination-nanoparticle (DcNP) technology to stabilize multiple HIV drugs, the 3-HIV drugs TLD, with disparate physical-chemical properties, are stabilized and assembled with lipid-excipients to form TLD-in-DcNP . TLD-in-DcNP is verified to be stable and suitable for subcutaneous administration. To characterize the plasma time-courses and PBMC concentrations for all 3 drugs, single subcutaneous injections of TLD-in-DcNP were given to nonhuman primates (NHP, M. nemestrina )., Results: Following single-dose TLD-in-DcNP , all drugs exhibited long-acting profiles in NHP plasma with levels that persisted for 4 weeks above predicted viral-effective concentrations for TLD in combination. Times-to-peak were within 24 hr in all NHP for all drugs. Compared to a free-soluble TLD, TLD-in-DcNP provided exposure enhancement and extended duration 7.0-, 2.1-, and 20-fold as AUC boost and 10-, 8.3-, and 5.9-fold as half-life extension. Additionally, DcNP may provide more drug exposure in cells than plasma with PBMC-to-plasma drug ratios exceeding one, suggesting cell-targeted drug-combination delivery., Conclusions: This study confirms that TLD with disparate properties can be made stable by DcNP to enable TLD concentrations of 4 weeks in NHP. Study results highlighted the potential of TLD-in-DcNP as a convenient all-in-one, complete HIV long-acting product for clinical development., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Planets with radii between that of the Earth and Neptune (hereafter referred to as 'sub-Neptunes') are found in close-in orbits around more than half of all Sun-like stars 1,2 . However, their composition, formation and evolution remain poorly understood 3 . The study of multiplanetary systems offers an opportunity to investigate the outcomes of planet formation and evolution while controlling for initial conditions and environment. Those in resonance (with their orbital periods related by a ratio of small integers) are particularly valuable because they imply a system architecture practically unchanged since its birth. Here we present the observations of six transiting planets around the bright nearby star HD 110067. We find that the planets follow a chain of resonant orbits. A dynamical study of the innermost planet triplet allowed the prediction and later confirmation of the orbits of the rest of the planets in the system. The six planets are found to be sub-Neptunes with radii ranging from 1.94R ⊕ to 2.85R ⊕ . Three of the planets have measured masses, yielding low bulk densities that suggest the presence of large hydrogen-dominated atmospheres., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Introduction: Recent advances in long-acting antiretroviral therapy (LA-ART) could provide new options for HIV treatment and reduce adherence barriers, if regimens are acceptable to patients. We elicited preferences for key attributes of potential LA-ART regimens among people with HIV (PWH) in the United States, focusing on four treatment modes (oral tablets, subcutaneous injections, intramuscular injections, and implants), product characteristics and location of administration., Methods: A discrete choice experiment was conducted among PWH aged ≥18 years recruited from HIV clinics in Washington State and Atlanta, Georgia from March 2021 to June 2022. Participants responded to 17 choice scenarios, each with three options: two systematically generated hypothetical LA-ART regimens and a constant opt-out (their current daily oral treatment). LA-ART regimen descriptions included treatment mode, pain, dosing frequency, location, pre-treatment time with undetectable viral load, pre-treatment negative reaction testing and "late-dose leeway" (i.e. flexibility or forgiveness in timing the next dose). We used conditional logistic regression, with an interaction between treatment mode and pain, to estimate preference weights for all attribute levels., Results: Seven hundred participants (350 at each site) enrolled, with median age 51 years (range 18-73); 70% identified as cisgender male, 24% as cisgender female and 6% as non-binary or transgender. LA oral tablets were the only mode preferred over current daily oral treatment, with annual implants and injections the next most preferred LA-ART option. Longer time between doses was preferred, and administration at home was preferred to clinics, which were preferred to pharmacies. Attributes with less impact on preferences included oral lead-in treatment to achieve viral suppression or test for negative reactions and late-dose leeway around the prescribed dosing interval. Participants in Atlanta were more likely to prefer their current daily oral ART than participants from Seattle., Conclusions: PWH in the United States may soon have several options for LA-ART. Our results suggest that LA oral tablets will be preferred by many patients over their current daily oral treatment, while implants and injections with longer duration may be acceptable to some. Future research should investigate sources of preference heterogeneity and actual uptake of and adherence to LA-ART products, when available., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of the International AIDS Society published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International AIDS Society.)

Fourteen people with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 had longitudinal measurements of intact, defective, and total proviral DNA over the course of two decades of antiretroviral therapy. Three patterns of intact proviral DNA decay were revealed: (1) biphasic decline with markedly slower second-phase decline, (2) initial decline that transitions to a zero-slope plateau, and (3) initial decline followed by later increases in intact proviral DNA. Defective proviral DNA levels were essentially stable. Mechanisms of slowing or reversal of second-phase decay of intact proviral DNA may include the inability to clear cells with intact but transcriptionally silent proviruses and clonal expansion of cells with intact proviruses., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. G. M. L. and A. M. are employees of and equity holders in Accelevir Diagnostics, a for-profit entity. S. A. R. has received funding to her institution from Gilead Sciences and Merck for a clinical trial. K. R. is an employee of Accelevir Diagnostics, a for-profit entity. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are conjugating enzymes involved in drug metabolism, antioxidant defence, and cell signalling. Herein, we investigated hepatic GST conjugation in several mouse and rat strains, including both sexes, with a direct comparison to humans.Using general and isoform-selective substrates, all mouse strains had significantly greater activities than humans for total cytosolic GST, GST-M, GST-T, and microsomal GST activities. Some strains had significantly greater GST-P activities compared to humans. Sex differences between males and females were evident in all strains for total cytosolic GST, GST-M, and GST-P, and sex differences in GST-T and microsomal GST activities within strains were noted.All rats had significantly greater activities than humans for GST-M and GST-T; only some strains were significantly greater than humans for GST-P, total cytosolic GST, and microsomal GST. Sex differences within strains showed significantly greater GST-M and GST-T activities in males compared to females. Select strains showed sex differences for total cytosolic and microsomal GST activities; there were no sex differences in GST-P activities.Significant differences in glutathione conjugation between humans and rodents exist, including sex differences. This highlights the need for careful animal selection in pre-clinical studies where GSTs are the primary metabolic pathway.

Background: Treatment management after repeated failure of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is difficult due to resistance and adherence challenges. For people who have failed non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-(NNRTI-) and protease inhibitor-(PI-) based regimens with no or limited resistance, remaining on PI-based ART is an option. Using data from an ART strategy trial (A5288) in low/middle-income countries which included this option, we explored whether predictors can be identified distinguishing those who experienced further virologic failure from those who achieved and maintained virologic suppression., Methods: A5288 enrolled people with confirmed HIV-1 RNA ≥ 1000 copies/mL after ≥ 24 weeks of PI-based ART and prior failure on NNRTI-based ART. This analysis focused on the 278 participants with no resistance to the PI being taken and no or limited nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) resistance, who continued their PI with flexibility to change NRTIs. Proportional hazards models were used to evaluate predictors of virologic failure during follow-up (VF: confirmed HIV-1 RNA ≥ 1000 copies/mL at ≥ 24 weeks of follow-up)., Results: 56% of participants were female. At study entry, median age was 40 years, time on ART 7.8 years, CD4 count 169 cells/mm 3 , HIV-1 RNA 20,444 copies/mL; and 37% had NRTI resistance. The estimated proportion experiencing VF increased from 39% at week 24 to 60% at week 96. In multivariable analysis, significant predictors at study entry of VF were higher HIV-1 RNA (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.20 for ≥ 10,000 versus < 10,000 copies/mL), lower age (1.96 for < 30 versus ≥ 30 years), NRTI resistance (1.74 for present versus absent), lower CD4 count (1.73 for < 200 versus ≥ 200 cells/mm 3 ), and shorter ART duration (1.62 for < 10 versus ≥ 10 years). There was a strong trend in proportion with VF at week 96 with the number of these five risk factors that a participant had, varying from 8% for zero, to 31%, 40%, 73%, and 100% for one, two, three, and four/five. Only 13% of participants developed new NRTI or PI resistance mutations., Conclusion: A simple count of five predictors might have value for identifying risk of continued VF. Novel antiretroviral and adherence support interventions are needed to improve virologic outcomes for higher risk individuals., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: People with HIV (PWH) have subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) despite low traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores. Coronary plaque in PWH presents as a unique phenotype, but little is known about the contributions of specific inflammatory pathways to plaque phenotypes in PWH., Methods: The REPRIEVE Mechanistic Substudy enrolled PWH on ART without known cardiovascular disease. We used a targeted discovery proteomics approach to evaluate 246 unique proteins representing cardiovascular, inflammatory, and immune pathways. Proteomic signatures were determined for presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC > 0) and presence of coronary plaque., Results: Data were available for 662 participants (aged 51 [SD 6] years, ASCVD risk score 4.9% [SD 3.1%]). Among 12 proteins associated with both CAC and presence of coronary plaque, independent of ASCVD risk score, the odds ratios were highest for NRP1: 5.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-11.4) for CAC and 2.9 (95% CI, 1.4-6.1) for presence of plaque. Proteins uniquely related to presence of plaque were CST3, LTBR, MEPE, PLC, SERPINA5, and TNFSF13B; in contrast, DCN, IL-6RA, OSMR, ST2, and VCAM1 were only related to CAC., Conclusions: Distinct immune and inflammatory pathways are differentially associated with subclinical CAD phenotypes among PWH. This comprehensive set of targets should be further investigated to reduce atherosclerosis and ASCVD in PWH., Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02344290., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. M. T. L. reports grant support through his institution from Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc for the conduct of the study; grant support from MedImmune/AstraZeneca; and personal fees from PQ Bypass outside of the current work. M. V. Z. reports grant support through her institution from NIH/NIAID and Gilead Sciences, Inc, relevant to the conduct of the study; and grants from NIH/NIAID and NIH/NHLBI outside the submitted work. H. R. reports grants from NIH/NIAID and NIH/NHLBI during the conduct of the study; and grants from NIH/NIAID, NIH/NHLBI, NIH/NIDDK, and NIH/NIA, outside the submitted work. A. C. reports grants from NIH/NIAID during the conduct of the study; and grants from NIH/NIAID outside the submitted work. C. F. reports grant support through his institution from Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare, GSK, Janssen, Abbvie, Merck, Amgen, and Cytodyn outside the submitted work. E. T. O. reports grant support through his institution from NIH, Giliead, ViiV, and GSK; and personal fees from Merck, ViiV Healthcare, and Theratechnologies outside the submitted work. J. A. A. reports institutional research support for clinical trials from Atea, Emergent Biosolutions, Frontier Technologies, Gilead Sciences, Glaxo Smith Kline, Janssen, Merck, Pfizer, Regeneron, and ViiV Healthcare; and personal fees for advisory boards from Glaxo Smith Kline and Merck, all outside the submitted work. J. C. reports consulting fees from Merck and Resvirlogix. S. K. G. reports grant support through his institution from Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc, Gilead Sciences, Inc, and ViiV for the conduct of the study; grants from Theratechnologies and Navidea; and personal fees from Theratechnologies for consulting and ViiV for consulting, all outside the submitted work. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Neuropathic pain and cognitive impairment are among the HIV-related conditions that have most stubbornly resisted amelioration by virally suppressive antiretroviral therapy. Overlaps between the regional brain substrates and mechanisms of neuropathic pain and cognitive disorders are increasingly recognized, yet no studies have examined the longitudinal relationship between these two disorders. Participants in the prospective, observational CNS HIV AntiRetroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) cohort underwent standardized clinical evaluations for clinical examination findings of distal sensory polyneuropathy, reporting distal neuropathic pain and neurocognitive performance at study entry (baseline) and an average of 12 years later. Change in neuropathic pain and neuropathy status from baseline to follow-up was by self-report and repeat examination, and change in neurocognitive performance was assessed using a previously published summary regression-based change score. Relationships between incident or worsened neuropathic pain and neurocognitive change were evaluated using uni- and multivariable regressions, including age at baseline and other relevant covariates. Participants were 385 people with HIV, 91 (23.6%) females, mean ± standard deviation (SD) age at baseline 43.5 (7.81) years, ethnicity 44.9% African American, 10.6% Hispanic, 42.6% non-Hispanic white and 1.82% other. Baseline median (interquartile range) nadir CD4 was 175 (34 309) cells/µl and current CD4 was 454 (279 639). Incident or worsened distal neuropathic pain occurred in 98 (25.5%) over the follow-up period. People with HIV with incident or worsened distal neuropathic pain had significantly worsened neurocognitive performance at follow-up compared to those without incident or worsened distal neuropathic pain (summary regression-based change score mean ± SD -0.408 ± 0.700 versus -0.228 ± 0.613; P = 0.0158). This effect remained significant when considering viral suppression on antiretroviral therapy, incident diabetes and other covariates as predictors. Overall neurocognitive change related to neuropathic pain was driven primarily by changes in the domains of executive function and speed of information processing. Those with incident distal neuropathy signs did not have neurocognitive worsening, nor did individuals who used opioid analgesics or other pain-modulating drugs such as amitriptyline. Worsened neurocognitive performance in people with HIV was associated with worsened neuropathic pain but not with changes in physical signs of neuropathy, and this was not attributable to therapies for pain or depression or to differences in viral suppression. This finding implies that incident or worsened pain may signal increased risk for neurocognitive impairment, and deserves more investigation, particularly if better pain management might stabilize or improve neurocognitive performance., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: ACTG A5288 was a strategy trial conducted in diverse populations from multiple continents of people living with HIV (PLWH) failing second-line protease inhibitor (PI)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 10 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Participants resistant to lopinavir (LPV) and/or multiple nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors started on third-line regimens that included raltegravir (RAL), darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) and/or etravirine (ETR) according to their resistance profiles. At 48 weeks, 87% of these participants achieved HIV-1 RNA ≤200 copies/ml. We report here long-term outcomes over 144 weeks., Methods: Study participants were enrolled from 2013 to 2015, prior to the availability of dolutegravir in LMICs. "Extended Follow-up" of the study started after the last participant enrolled had reached 48 weeks and included participants still on antiretroviral (ARV) regimens containing RAL, DRV/r and/or ETR at that time. RAL, DRV/r and ETR were provided for an additional 96 weeks (giving total follow-up of ≥144 weeks), with HIV-1 RNA measured at 48 and 96 weeks and CD4 count at 96 weeks after entry into Extended Follow-up. Proportion of participants with HIV-1 RNA ≤200 copies/ml was estimated every 24 weeks, using imputation if necessary to handle the different measurement schedule in Extended Follow-up; mean CD4 count changes were estimated using loess regression., Results and Discussion: Of 257 participants (38% females), at study entry, median CD4 count was 179 cells/mm 3 , and HIV-1 RNA was 4.6 log 10 copies/ml. Median follow-up was 168 weeks (IQR: 156-204); 15 (6%) participants were lost to follow-up and 9 (4%) died. 27/246 (11%), 26/246 (11%) and 13/92 (14%) of participants who started RAL, DRV/r and ETR, respectively, discontinued these drugs; only three due to adverse events. 87%, 86%, 83% and 80% of the participants had HIV-1 RNA ≤200 copies/ml at weeks 48, 96, 144 and 168 (95% CI at week 168: 74-85%), respectively. Mean increase from study entry in CD4 count at week 168 was 265 cells/mm 3 (95% CI 247-283)., Conclusions: Third-line regimens comprising of RAL, DRV/r and/or ETR were very well tolerated and had high rates of durable virologic suppression among PLWH in LMICs who were failing on second-line PI-based ART prior to the availability of dolutegravir., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of the International AIDS Society published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International AIDS Society.)

Background: To examine longitudinal neurocognitive decline among Latino, non-Latino Black, and non-Latino White people with HIV (PWH) and factors that may explain ethnic/racial disparities in neurocognitive decline., Methods: Four hundred ninety nine PWH (13.8% Latino, 42.7% Black, 43.5% White; baseline age: M = 43.5) from the CNS HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study completed neurocognitive, neuromedical, and laboratory assessments every 6-12 months with up to 5 years of follow-up. Longitudinal neurocognitive change was determined via published regression-based norms. Survival analyses investigated the relationship between ethnicity/race and neurocognitive change, and baseline and time-dependent variables that may explain ethnic/racial disparities in neurocognitive decline, including socio-demographic, HIV-disease, medical, psychiatric, and substance use characteristics., Results: In Cox proportional hazard models, hazard ratios for neurocognitive decline were increased for Latino compared with White PWH (HR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.35 to 3.73, P = 0.002), and Latino compared with Black PWH (HR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.14 to 3.04, P = 0.013), with no significant differences between Black and White PWH (P = 0.40). Comorbidities, including cardiometabolic factors and more severe neurocognitive comorbidity classification, accounted for 33.6% of the excess hazard for Latino compared with White PWH, decreasing the hazard ratio associated with Latino ethnicity (HR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.06 to 3.16, P = 0.03), but did not fully account for elevated risk of decline., Conclusions: Latino PWH may be at higher risk of early neurocognitive decline compared with Black and White PWH. Comorbidities accounted for some, but not all, of this increased risk among Latino PWH. Future research examining institutional, sociocultural, and biomedical factors, including structural discrimination and age-related biomarkers, may further explain the observed disparities., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neurocognitive (NC) impairment in people with HIV (PWH) is associated with important adverse outcomes, but no markers exist to predict long-term NC decline. We evaluated depressed mood and markers of persistent inflammation, oxidative stress and altered amyloid processing (all common in PWH) as predictors of NC worsening over 12 years., Methods: PWH were enrolled and followed longitudinally in the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Effects Research (CHARTER) study at six US sites. At entry we quantified biomarkers in blood of inflammation: (interleukin-6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP], monocyte chemoattractant protein type 1 [MCP-1], D-dimer, soluble sCD14 (sCD14), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor - type II [sTNFR-II], neopterin, and soluble CD40 ligand [sCD40L], oxidative stress (protein carbonyls, 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine [8-oxo-dG]) and altered amyloid processing [amyloid beta (Aβ)-42, soluble amyloid precursor protein-α (sAPPα)] using commercial immunoassays. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) assessed depressed mood at entry. NC decline over 12 years was evaluated using the published and validated summary (global) regression-based change score (sRBCS). A factor analysis reduced dimensionality of the biomarkers. Univariable and multiple regression models tested the relationship between baseline predictors and the outcome of neurocognitive decline., Results: Participants were 191 PWH, 37 (19.4%) women, 46.6% African American, 43.5% non-Hispanic white, 8.83% Hispanic, 15.7% white, 1.6% other; at study entry mean (SD) age 43.6 (8.06) years, estimated duration of HIV infection (median, IQR) 9.82 [4.44, 14.5] years, nadir CD4 104/μL (19,205), current CD4 568/μL (356, 817), and 80.1% had plasma HIV RNA <50 c/mL. Participants were enrolled between 2003 and 2007; median (IQR) duration of follow-up 12.4 [9.69, 16.2] years. Three biomarker factors were identified: Factor (F)1 (IL-6, CRP), F2 (sTNFR-II, neopterin) and F3 (sCD40L, sAPPα). Participants with higher F1, reflecting worse systemic inflammation at baseline, and higher F3, had greater decline in global neurocognition (r ​= ​-0.168, p ​= ​0.0205 and r ​= ​-0.156, p ​= ​0.0309, respectively). Of the F1 components, higher CRP levels were associated with worse decline (r ​= ​-0.154, p ​= ​0.0332), while IL-6 did not (r ​= ​-0.109, p ​= ​0.135). NC change was not significantly related to F2, nor to demographics, nadir and current CD4, viral suppression or baseline NC comorbidity ratings. Individuals with worse depressed mood at entry also experienced more NC decline (r ​= ​-0.1734, p ​= ​0.0006). Together BDI-II (p ​= ​0.0290), F1 (p ​= ​0.0484) and F3 (p ​= ​0.0309) contributed independently to NC decline (p ​= ​0.0028); their interactions were not significant. Neither CRP nor IL-6 correlated significantly with depression., Conclusions: PWH with greater systemic inflammation and more depression at entry had greater NC decline over 12 years. Understanding the basis of this inflammatory state might be particularly important. These findings raise the possibility that targeted anti-inflammatory or antidepressant therapies may help prevent NC worsening in PWH with depression and inflammation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Introduction: Patient preferences for long-acting antiretroviral therapies (LA-ART) should inform development of regimens with optimal adherence and acceptability. We describe a systematic process used to identify attributes and levels for a discrete choice experiment (DCE) designed to elicit preferences for potential LA-ART options in the US., Methods: Our approach was conducted in four stages: data collection, data reduction, removing inappropriate attributes, and optimizing wording. We started with 8 attributes defining potential LA-ART products based on existing literature and knowledge of products in development. We conducted 12 key informant interviews with experts in HIV treatment. The list of attributes, the set of plausible levels for each attribute, and restrictions on combinations of attribute levels were updated iteratively., Results: Despite uncertainty about which products will become available, key informant discussions converged on 4 delivery modes (infusions and patches were not considered immediately feasible) and 6 additional attributes. Treatment effectiveness and frequency of clinical monitoring were dropped. Oral lead-in therapy was split into two attributes: pre-treatment time undetectable and pre-treatment negative reaction testing. We omitted product-specific systemic and local side effects. In addition to mode, the final set of attributes included: frequency of dosing; location of treatment; pain; pre-treatment time undetectable; pre-treatment negative reaction testing; and late-dose leeway., Conclusions: A systematic process successfully captured elements that are both feasible and relevant to evaluating the acceptability of potential LA-ART alternatives to patients., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Assisted reproduction technologies (ART) are associated with increased risks of pregnancy complications and obstetric interventions. Here, we aimed to determine if ART affects placental inflammation and oxidative stress as a mechanism for unfavorable pregnancy outcomes., Methods: The levels of six cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα) were measured using multiplex ELISA. The activity of four antioxidant enzymes (glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase) and levels of two antioxidants (GSH, vitamin E) were measured using commercial/in-house assays. Markers were compared between ART and unassisted pregnancies, and then groups were stratified using ICD9/10 codes to determine differences in specific clinical contexts., Results: In unassisted twin pregnancies, there was a trend of decreased cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, p < 0.05), but cytokines in ART twins were the same or higher. Additionally, GST and GPx activities were lower in unassisted twins, and vitamin E levels were higher in ART twins (p < 0.05). In pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis, there was a trend of increased cytokine levels in unassisted pregnancies (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, p < 0.05). No increase was observed in ART, and IFN-γ and TNFα were decreased (p < 0.05). Placental GST and GPx activities were higher in unassisted pregnancies with chorioamnionitis compared to ART (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Attenuation of protective placental inflammatory and oxidative stress responses may play a role in the underlying pathogenesis of negative birth outcomes in ART, expanding our understanding of adverse pregnancy outcomes when ART is used to conceive., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

In an analysis of randomized trials, use of efavirenz for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was associated with increased suicidal thoughts/behaviors. However, analyses of observational data have found no evidence of increased risk. To assess whether population differences might explain this divergence, we transported the effect of efavirenz use from these trials to a specific target population. Using inverse odds weights and multiple imputation, we transported the effect of efavirenz on suicidal thoughts/behaviors in these randomized trials (participants were enrolled in 2001-2007) to a trials-eligible cohort of US adults initiating antiretroviral therapy while receiving HIV clinical care at medical centers between 1999 and 2015. Overall, 8,291 cohort participants and 3,949 trial participants were eligible. Prescription of antidepressants (19% vs. 13%) and injection drug history (16% vs. 10%) were more frequent in the cohort than in the trial participants. Compared with the effect in trials, the estimated hazard ratio for efavirenz on suicidal thoughts/behaviors was attenuated in our target population (trials: hazard ratio (HR) = 2.3 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2, 4.4); transported: HR = 1.8 (95% CI: 0.9, 4.4)), whereas the incidence rate difference was similar (trials: HR = 5.1 (95% CI: 1.6, 8.7); transported: HR = 5.4 (95% CI: -0.4, 11.4)). In our target population, there was greater than 20% attenuation of the hazard ratio estimate as compared with the trials-only estimate. Transporting results from trials to a target population is informative for addressing external validity., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

We evaluated health-related quality of life (QoL) and self-reported incomplete adherence as predictors of early second-line antiretroviral (ART) virological failure (VF). ACTG A5273 study participants completed the ACTG SF-21 measure which has 8 QoL domains. We used exact logistic regression to assess the association of QoL at baseline and week 4 with early VF adjusted for self-reported adherence. Of 500 individuals (51% women, median age 39 years) in this analysis, 79% and 75% self-reported complete adherence (no missing doses in the past month) at weeks 4 and 24, respectively. Early VF was experienced by 7% and more common among those who self-reported incomplete adherence. Participants with low week 4 QoL scores had higher rates of early VF than participants with high scores. After adjusting for self-reported adherence at week 4, VL and CD4 at baseline, cognitive functioning, pain and mental health domains were significantly associated with subsequent early VF. In this post-hoc analysis, poorer QoL adds to self-reported incomplete adherence after 4 weeks of second-line ART in predicting VF at week 24. Evaluation is needed to assess whether individuals with poorer QoL might be targeted for greater support to reduce risk of VF. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01352715.

The expression of ten major drug-metabolizing UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes in a panel of 130 human hepatic microsomal samples was measured using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based approach. Simultaneously, ten cytochromes P450 and P450 reductase were also measured, and activity-expression relationships were assessed for comparison. The resulting data sets demonstrated that, with the exception of UGT2B17, 10th to 90th percentiles of UGT expression spanned 3- to 8-fold ranges. These ranges were small relative to ranges of reported mean UGT enzyme expression across different laboratories. We tested correlation of UGT expression with enzymatic activities using selective probe substrates. A high degree of abundance-activity correlation (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient > 0.6) was observed for UGT1As (1A1, 3, 4, 6) and cytochromes P450. In contrast, protein abundance and activity did not correlate strongly for UGT1A9 and UGT2B enzymes (2B4, 7, 10, 15, and 17). Protein abundance was strongly correlated for UGTs 2B7, 2B10, and 2B15. We suggest a number of factors may contribute to these differences including incomplete selectivity of probe substrates, correlated expression of these UGT2B isoforms, and the impact of splice and polymorphic variants on the peptides used in proteomics analysis, and exemplify this in the case of UGT2B10. Extensive correlation analyses identified important criteria for validating the fidelity of proteomics and enzymatic activity approaches for assessing UGT variability, population differences, and ontogenetic changes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Protein expression data allow detailed assessment of interindividual variability and enzyme ontogeny. This study has observed that expression and enzyme activity are well correlated for hepatic UGT1A enzymes and cytochromes P450. However, for the UGT2B family, caution is advised when assuming correlation of expression and activity as is often done in physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling. This can be due to incomplete probe substrate specificities, but may also be related to presence of inactive UGT protein materials and the effect of splicing variations., (Copyright © 2021 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.)

Background: Prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants increases risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, yet little is known about whether effects are present before birth. In relation to maternal SRI pharmacokinetics, this study investigated chronic and acute effects of prenatal SRI exposure on third-trimester fetal heart rate variability (HRV), while evaluating confounding effects of maternal depressed mood. Methods: At 36-weeks' gestation, cardiotocograph measures of fetal HR and HRV were obtained from 148 pregnant women [four groups: SRI-Depressed ( n = 31), SRI-Non-Depressed ( n = 18), Depressed (unmedicated; n = 42), and Control ( n = 57)] before, and ~5-h after, typical SRI dose. Maternal plasma drug concentrations were quantified at baseline (pre-dose) and four time-points post-dose. Mixed effects modeling investigated group differences between baseline/pre-dose and post-dose fetal HR outcomes. Post hoc analyses investigated sex differences and dose-dependent SRI effects. Results: Maternal SRI plasma concentrations were lowest during the baseline/pre-dose fetal assessment (trough) and increased to a peak at the post-dose assessment; concentration-time curves varied widely between individuals. No group differences in fetal HR or HRV were observed at baseline/pre-dose; however, following maternal SRI dose, short-term HRV decreased in both SRI-exposed fetal groups. In the SRI-Depressed group, these post-dose decreases were displayed by male fetuses, but not females. Further, episodes of high HRV decreased post-dose relative to baseline, but only among SRI-Non-Depressed group fetuses. Higher maternal SRI doses also predicted a greater number of fetal HR decelerations. Fetuses exposed to unmedicated maternal depressed mood did not differ from Controls. Conclusions: Prenatal SRI exposure had acute post-dose effects on fetal HRV in late gestation, which differed depending on maternal mood response to SRI pharmacotherapy. Importantly, fetal SRI effects were sex-specific among mothers with persistent depressive symptoms, as only male fetuses displayed acute HRV decreases. At trough (pre-dose), chronic fetal SRI effects were not identified; however, concurrent changes in maternal SRI plasma levels suggest that fetal drug exposure is inconsistent. Acute SRI-related changes in fetal HRV may reflect a pharmacologic mechanism, a transient impairment in autonomic functioning, or an early adaption to altered serotonergic signaling, which may differ between males and females. Replication is needed to determine significance with postnatal development., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Campbell, Collier, Irvine, Brain, Rurak, Oberlander and Lim.)

Objective: Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is a disabling consequence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), leading to poor quality of life and more frequent falls in older age. Neuropathic pain and paresthesia are prevalent symptoms; however, there are currently no known curative treatments and the longitudinal course of pain in HIV-associated DSP is poorly characterized., Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study of 265 people with HIV (PWH) enrolled in the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study with baseline and 12-year follow-up evaluations. Since pain and paresthesia are highly correlated, statistical decomposition was used to separate the two symptoms at baseline. Multivariable logistic regression analyses of decomposed variables were used to determine the effects of neuropathy symptoms at baseline on presence and worsening of distal neuropathic pain at 12-year follow-up, adjusted for covariates., Results: Mean age was 56 ± 8 years, and 21% were female at follow-up. Nearly the entire cohort (96%) was on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 82% had suppressed (≤50 copies/mL) plasma viral loads at follow-up. Of those with pain at follow-up (n = 100), 23% had paresthesia at the initial visit. Decomposed paresthesia at baseline increased the risk of pain at follow-up (odds ratio [OR] 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18, 2.07), and decomposed pain at baseline predicted a higher frequency of pain at follow-up (OR 1.96 [95% CI 1.51, 2.58])., Conclusions: Paresthesias are a clinically significant predictor of incident pain at follow-up among aging PWH with DSP. Development of new therapies to encourage neuroregeneration might take advantage of this finding to choose individuals likely to benefit from treatment preventing incident pain., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)