Severe intestinal barrier damage in HIV-infected immunological non-responders
Xiao-Yan Guo,
Yun-Tian Guo,
Ze-Rui Wang,
Yan-Mei Jiao,
Yue Hu,
Li-Na Fan,
Rui-Qin Cheng,
Meng-Meng Qu,
Chao Zhang,
Jin-Wen Song,
Ruo-Nan Xu,
Xing Fan,
Wen Xu,
Ji-Yuan Zhang,
Bing-Ke Bai,
En-Qiang Linghu,
Yao-Kai Chen,
Ping Ma,
Fu-Sheng Wang
Affiliations
Xiao-Yan Guo
Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Yun-Tian Guo
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China; The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Ze-Rui Wang
Department of Gastroenterology, First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
Yan-Mei Jiao
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China; Corresponding author.
Yue Hu
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, Tianjin, China
Li-Na Fan
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, Tianjin, China
Rui-Qin Cheng
Tianjin Bright Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China
Meng-Meng Qu
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Chao Zhang
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Jin-Wen Song
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Ruo-Nan Xu
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Xing Fan
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Wen Xu
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Ji-Yuan Zhang
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
Bing-Ke Bai
Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
En-Qiang Linghu
Department of Gastroenterology, First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
Yao-Kai Chen
Department of Infectious Disease, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China; Corresponding author.
Ping Ma
Department of Infectious Diseases, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, Tianjin, China; Corresponding author.
Fu-Sheng Wang
Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China; The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Corresponding author. Senior Department of Infectious Diseases, the Fifth Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
The intestinal epithelial barrier plays an important role during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression. However, the extent to which the intestinal epithelial barrier is damaged in immunological non-responders (INRs) and immunological responders (IRs) is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated and compared the levels of intestinal gland damage and related molecules, including the tight junction protein claudin-1, apoptosis marker caspase-3, HIV DNA, CD4+ T cell count, and inflammation marker tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) among the IRs (n = 10), INRs (n = 8), and healthy controls (HCs, n = 7). Intestinal damage was not completely restored in both INRs and IRs and was more serious in INRs than that in IRs. Moreover, intestinal damage was positively correlated with HIV DNA levels and negatively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts. These results provide insight into understanding the characteristics of intestinal epithelial barrier damage between IRs and INRs.
