BMC Infectious Diseases (Jan 2018)

Adipokines levels in HIV infected patients: lipocalin-2 and fatty acid binding protein-4 as possible markers of HIV and antiretroviral therapy-related adipose tissue inflammation

  • Mario Luca Morieri,
  • Viola Guardigni,
  • Juana Maria Sanz,
  • Edoardo Dalla Nora,
  • Cecilia Soavi,
  • Giovanni Zuliani,
  • Laura Sighinolfi,
  • Angelina Passaro

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-017-2925-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Background Metabolic and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent a major problem in HIV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) with circulating levels of two adipokines (Lipocalin-2 and Fatty Acid Binding Protein-4, FABP-4), known to be associated with adipose tissue dysfunction and cardiovascular disease in the general population. Methods We enrolled 40 non-obese HIV-infected patients and 10 healthy controls of similar age and Body Mass Index (BMI). Body composition, metabolic syndrome, lipid profile, 10-years CVD risk score, and adipokines levels were compared between groups. ART-regimen status (naïve, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors – NNRTIs – and protease inhibitors – PIs) association with adipokines levels was tested with linear regression models. Results HIV patients showed a worse metabolic profile than controls. Lipocalin-2 levels were higher in HIV-infected subjects (+53%; p = 0.007), with a significant trend (p = 0.003) for higher levels among subjects taking NNRTIs. Association of lipocalin-2 with fat-mass and BMI was modulated by ART regimens, being positive among subjects treated with NNRTIs and negative among those treated with PIs (“ART-regimens-by-BMI” interaction p = 0.0009). FABP-4 levels were correlated with age, fat mass, BMI, lipid profile and CVD risk (all R ≥ 0.32, p < 0.05), but not influenced by HIV-status (+20%; p = 0.12) or ART-regimen (p = 0.4). Conclusions Our data confirm that HIV-infection is associated with adipose tissue inflammation, as measured by Lipocalin-2 levels, and ART does not attenuate this association. While FABP-4 is a marker of worse metabolic and CVD profile independently of HIV status or ART regimen, lipocalin-2 could represent a useful marker for HIV- and ART-related adipose tissue dysfunction.

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