AEGiS-15IAC: Role of caspase 1 and caspase 8 in HIV infected patients with and without tuberculosis.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

Role of caspase 1 and caspase 8 in HIV infected patients with and without tuberculosis.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. A10295)

Gupta S, Wanchu A, Bhatnagar A, Kumar B, Bambery P, Singh S
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis is a significant cause of CD4+ T cell death in HIV infection. Caspase 8 is involved in apoptosis mediated by Fas and p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor ligation. Apoptosis is also partially mediated by interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (caspase-1). In this study we determined if apoptosis, as represented by caspase-1 and caspase-8, is different among patients with HIV infection, with and without tuberculosis (TB), those with TB alone and healthy individuals.

METHODS: 19 HIV infected patients with active TB (HIV+/TB+) and 20 patients with HIV infection without opportunistic infections (HIV+/TB-) were studied. 15 individuals with pulmonary TB alone were disease controls (HIV-/TB+) and 20 healthy individuals were healthy controls (HIV-/TB-). Caspase levels were measured by a single-step ELISA using commercially available monoclonal antibodies against caspase 1 and caspase 8.

RESULTS: Mean CD4 counts of HIV/TB coinfected were significantly lower than those with HIV infection alone (p<0.05). OD value of caspase 1 among HIV+/TB+ was 0.295+0.05, while that among HIV+/TB- it was 0.302+0.179. It was 0.293+0.073 among HIV-/TB+ and in HIV-/TB- the values were 0.287+0.064. None of these were significantly different. OD value of caspase 8 among HIV+/TB+ was 0.307+0.0.74, significantly lower than that among HIV+/TB- (0.927+0.249). It was 0.008+0.029 among HIV-/TB+ and in HIV-/TB- 0.074+0.004. Values of the two groups with HIV infection (with and without TB) were significantly higher than those in patients with TB alone or healthy individuals (p<0.01). Levels among patients with HIV infection alone were significantly higher than patients with HIV+/TB+ (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Caspase-1 levels are not significantly different in patients with or without TB and with or without HIV infection. Fas-related apoptosis, as shown by caspase-8, is higher in HIV infection. With concomitant TB levels are lower as compared with those without TB.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV, Caspase 1, Caspases, Tuberculosis, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary, Apoptosis, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, T-Lymphocytes, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, caspase 8, Humans

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A10295