| |
Lipid Alterations in HIV-Infected Men with Lipodystrophy Are Correlated with Increase in Cortisol/DHEA Ratio and in Serum Interferon Alpha N. CHRISTEFF1*, J. C. MELCHIOR2, P. DE TRUCHIS2, C. PERONNE2, and M. L. GOUGEON1.
1Inst. Pasteur, Paris; 2Hosp. R. Poincare, Garches, France Objectives: In a recent study we have shown that lipid alterations associated to the syndrome of lipodystrophy in HIV-infected men on HAART are correlated with an increase in the cortisol/DHEA ratio. Because lipid metabolism is regulated not only by steroid hormones but also by cytokines, we asked whether lipid alterations, characteristic of lipodystrophy, are related to cytokine perturbations.
Methods and results: 37 HIV-1-positive men on HAART, 23 of them showing lipodystrophy (LD+), defined according to a subjective clinical score (SCSL), were tested. Serum lipid concentrations (cholesterol, triglycerides (TG) and their subclasses, apolipoproteins (ApoA1 and ApoB) and cytokines (TNFa, sTNFa RI, sTNF a RII, IL-1b, IL-6, IL-2 and IFNa) were measured. Serum lipids, particularly TG, ApoB and atherogenic ratio of ApoB/ApoA1, were significantly increased in LD+ compared to LD– men and positively correlated with increased cortisol/DHEA ratio: TG (r=0.38), p<0.02), ApoB (r=0.46, p<0.005), and ApoB/ApoA1 (r=0.35, p<0.04). IFNa concentration was found increased in LD+ and positively correlated with increased lipids such as TG (r=0.42, p<0.01), ApoB (r=0.47, p<0.47), and with the atherogenic ratio ApoB/ApoA1 (p<0.48, p<0.003). TNFa concentration was also increased, although not significantly [5.6 pg/ml in LD+ vs 11.4 pg/ml in LD–]. Interestingly the SCSL was correlated with both the cortisol/DHEA ration (r=0.45, p<0.006) and IFNa concentration (r=0.39, p<0.02).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that lipid alterations in lipodystrophy-positive men are associated with an increase in cortisol/DHEA ratio and in serum IFNa, both involved in lipid metabolism.
Key Words: cortisol/DHEA ratio, Interferon alpha, lipodystrophy
|
