HIV-1/HAART-Related Lipodystrophy Syndrome (HALS) Is Associated with Decreased Circulating sTWEAK Levels

Identifier:  PC:1450

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/PC1450

Authors:  Miguel López-Dupla; Elsa Maymó-Masip; Esteban Martínez; Pere Domingo; Manuel Leal; Joaquim Peraire; Consuelo Viladés; Sergi Veloso; Mireia Arnedo; Sarra Ferrando-Martínez; Raúl Beltrán-Debón; Verónica Alba; Josep Mª Gatell; Joan Vendrell; Francesc Vidal; Matilde R. Chacón

Abstract:
Background and Objectives: Obesity and HIV-1/HAART–associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS) share clinical, pathological and mechanistic features. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays an important role in obesity and related diseases. We sought to explore the relationship between HALS and circulating levels of soluble (s) TWEAK and its scavenger receptor sCD163. Methods: This was a cross-sectional multicenter study of 120 HIV-1-infected patients treated with a stable HAART regimen; 56 with overt HALS and 64 without HALS. Epidemiological and clinical variables were determined. Serum levels of sTWEAK and sCD163 levels were measured by ELISA. Results were analyzed with Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U and χ2 test. Pearson and Spearman correlation were used to estimate the strength of association between variables. Results: Circulating sTWEAK was significantly decreased in HALS patients compared with nonHALS patients (2.81±0.2 vs. 2.94±0.28 pg/mL, p = 0.018). No changes were observed in sCD163 levels in the studied cohorts. On multivariate analysis, a lower log sTWEAK concentration was independently associated with the presence of HALS (OR 0.027, 95% CI 0.001–0.521, p = 0.027). Conclusions: HALS is associated with decreased sTWEAK levels.