Inflammatory, Oxidative Stress Status and Antioxidant Homeostasis in HIV-infection and Ageing are Tightly Logistic in Humans

Aims: Inflammatory, immunological, oxidative stress status and antioxidant homeostasis in HIV-Infection and ageing were studied to determine if their relationships were logistic in humans.

Study Design: The effect of HIV disease/antiretroviral therapy on Inflammatory, immunological, oxidative stress status and antioxidant homeostasis was assessed by juxtaposition with similar indices in HIV seronegative healthy young (20-35years) adults (CTRL) and HIV seronegative elderly (65-86 years) subjects (ELD65+).

Place and Duration of Study: Subjects include One hundred (100) HIV seropositive individuals, 50 on ART and 50 ART-Naive and One hundred (100) seronegative individuals comprising fifty (50) healthy younger adults and Fifty (50) elderly (≥65yrs) individuals attending the Federal Medical Centre Owerri between August and December 2020.

Methodology: Venous blood was collected into an EDTA vacutainer and plain vacutainer plain from each participant for inflammation indices (ESR, CRP) using Westergren and Finecare CRP rapid quantitative test kit, Oxidative stress index (erythrocyte lipid peroxidation as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), antioxidant index (glutathione(reduced) using spectrometric method were determined on subjects. Enzyme-.linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine interleukin-6 (IL-6). The data generated were analysed by one-way analysis of variances (ANOVA) using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21; Relationship existing between parameters were analysed using table curve 2D (Systat USA).

Results: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were all significantly higher in seropositive young adult subjects (P<0.05) than the seronegative young adult control subjects. Glutathione (GSH) was significantly reduced in the seropositive young adult subjects (P<0.05) than the seronegative young adult control subjects. In all the parameters measured, Naïve and ART subjects were similar in trend to ELD65+ subjects suggesting immune ageing. The antioxidant parameter GSH had an inverse relationship with the inflammatory (ESR, CRP and IL-6) and oxidative stress (TBARS) parameters. This relationship was logistic and followed a logistic dose-response relationship and a sigmoidal association.

Conclusion: We conclude that Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) are useful parameters to assess immune ageing, and are related logistically in humans.