A pilot study to assess inflammatory biomarker changes when raltegravir is added to a virologically suppressive HAART regimen in HIV-1-infected patients with limited immunological responses.

Background: Despite successful suppression of HIV-1 with HAART, some patients do not have robust immunological recovery. Chronic inflammation from persistent immune activation could contribute to this poor response, resulting in HIV-1 disease progression and the development of some non-HIV-1 comorbidities.

Methods: We conducted a pilot study of 30 HIV-1-infected patients with undetectable viral loads and poor CD4(+) T-cell responses on long-term stable HAART to assess whether the addition of raltegravir would have an effect on biomarkers of chronic inflammation.

Toll-like receptor 2 down-regulation in established mouse allergic lungs contributes to decreased mycoplasma clearance.

Rationale: Respiratory Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) infection is involved in asthma pathobiology, but whether the established allergic airway inflammation compromises lung innate immunity and subsequently predisposes patients with asthma to Mp infection remains unknown.

Objectives: To test whether the established allergic airway inflammation compromises host innate immunity (e.g.