Identifying transmission in a hospital outbreak investigation using whole-genome sequencing and SNP phylogenetic analysis.

poses a global public health challenge, causing multiple outbreaks within healthcare facilities. Despite advancements in strain typing for various infectious diseases, a consensus on the genetic relatedness threshold for identifying transmission in local hospital outbreaks remains elusive. We investigated genetic variations within our local isolate collection using whole-genome-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) phylogenetic analysis.

Dynamics of peripheral T cell exhaustion and monocyte subpopulations in neurocognitive impairment and brain atrophy in chronic HIV infection.

Background: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) is hypothesized to be a result of myeloid cell-induced neuro-inflammation in the central nervous system that may be initiated in the periphery, but the contribution of peripheral T cells in HAND pathogenesis remains poorly understood.

Methods: We assessed markers of T cell activation (HLA-DR + CD38+), immunosenescence (CD57 + CD28-), and immune-exhaustion (TIM-3, PD-1 and TIGIT) as well as monocyte subsets (classical, intermediate, and non-classical) by flow cytometry in peripheral blood derived from individuals with HIV on long-term stable anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Additionally, normalized neuropsychological (NP) composite test z-scores were obtained and regional brain volumes were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Alterations in Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) Peptide Levels in Patients with HIV.

Chronic HIV infection has long been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. The metabolites of the renin−angiotensin system (RAS) such as angiotensin II (AngII) play an important role in regulating blood pressure and fluid dynamics. Cross-sectional analysis of HIV-positive individuals (n = 71, age > 40 years, stable ART > 3 months with HIV viral load < 50 copies/mL) were compared to a similar HIV seronegative group (n = 72).

Correction: Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is decreased in chronic HIV and correlates with immune dysregulation.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Plasma anti-CD4 IgG is associated with brain abnormalities in people with HIV on antiretroviral therapy.

Anti-CD4 IgG autoantibodies have been implicated in CD4 T cell reconstitution failure, leaving people with HIV (PWH) at heightened risk of HIV-associated comorbidities, such as neurocognitive impairment. Seventeen PWH on stable anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and 10 HIV seronegative controls had plasma anti-CD4 IgG antibodies measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neuropsychological (NP) tests assessed cognitive performance, and brain volumes were measured by structural magnetic resonance imaging.

Hiding in plain sight - platelets, the silent carriers of HIV-1.

There are approximately 38 million people globally living with Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and given the tremendous success of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) this has dramatically reduced mortality and morbidity with prevention benefits. However, HIV-1 persists during cART within the human body and re-appears upon cART interruption. This HIV-1 reservoir remains a barrier to cure with cellular sites of viral persistence not fully understood.

Increased Monocyte Inflammatory Responses to Oxidized LDL Are Associated with Insulin Resistance in HIV-Infected Individuals on Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy.

Despite long term antiretroviral therapy (ART), insulin resistance (IR) is common among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) exposing this population to a greater risk of cardiometabolic complications when compared to their uninfected counterparts. We previously identified an expansion in monocyte subpopulations in blood that were linked to the degree of IR in persons with HIV on stable ART. In this study, we directly assessed monocyte inflammatory functional properties from PLWHA on ART ( = 33) and HIV-uninfected controls ( = 14) of similar age, gender, and cardiovascular disease risk and determined the relationship with IR (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)), calculated from fasting blood glucose and insulin measurements.

Short Communication: Carotid Artery Plaque Burden in HIV Is Associated with Soluble Mediators and Monocytes.

Maximum carotid plaque thickness (MCPT) measures the largest plaque thickness in the carotid artery and reflects atherosclerosis plaque burden. MCPT may be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease than carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) because it identifies potential unstable arterial atherosclerosis plaques. We assessed the relationships of monocyte and T cell populations and plasma soluble mediators with MCPT measures.

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is decreased in chronic HIV and correlates with immune dysregulation.

Background: Cellular immunometabolism among people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains under investigated. We assessed the relationships between mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and blood parameters associated with HIV immune dysregulation.

Methods: PLWH ≥40 years old and on stable ART ≥3 months were enrolled (N = 149).

Comparative DNA methylomic analyses reveal potential origins of novel epigenetic biomarkers of insulin resistance in monocytes from virally suppressed HIV-infected adults.

Background: Compared to healthy individuals, those with stably repressed HIV experience a higher risk of developing insulin resistance, a hallmark of pre-diabetes and a major determinant for cardiometabolic diseases. Although epigenetic processes, including in particular DNA methylation, appear to be dysregulated in individuals with insulin resistance, little is known about where these occur in the genomes of immune cells and the origins of these alterations in HIV-infected individuals. Here, we examined the genome-wide DNA methylation states of monocytes in HIV-infected individuals (n = 37) with varying levels of insulin sensitivity measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

Galectin-9 Mediates HIV Transcription by Inducing TCR-Dependent ERK Signaling.

Endogenous plasma levels of the immunomodulatory carbohydrate-binding protein galectin-9 (Gal-9) are elevated during HIV infection and remain elevated after antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppression. We recently reported that Gal-9 regulates HIV transcription and potently reactivates latent HIV. However, the signaling mechanisms underlying Gal-9-mediated viral transcription remain unclear.

Impact of Myeloid Reservoirs in HIV Cure Trials.

Purpose Of Review: Gallant efforts are ongoing to achieve sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free HIV remission in the HIV-infected person; however, most, if not all, current human clinical studies have primarily focused these efforts on targeting viral persistence in CD4 T cells in blood and tissue sanctuaries. The lack of myeloid centered HIV clinical trials, either as primary or secondary end points, has hindered our understanding of the contribution of myeloid cells in unsuccessful trials but may also guide successes in future HIV eradication clinical strategies.

Recent Findings: Recent advances have highlighted the importance of myeloid reservoirs as sanctuaries of HIV persistence and therefore may partially be responsible for viral recrudescence following ART treatment interruption in several clinical trials where HIV was not detectable or recovered from CD4 T cells.

Red blood cell distribution width as an easily measurable biomarker of persistent inflammation and T cell dysregulation in antiretrovirally treated HIV-infected adults.

Background: Chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction occur in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection despite stable antiretroviral therapy (ART). Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been shown to correlate with markers of inflammation in non-HIV conditions. The study objective was to determine associations between RDW with cellular markers of immune activation and immune dysfunction including soluble inflammatory mediators in ART treated HIV infection.

Cenicriviroc inhibits trans-endothelial passage of monocytes and is associated with impaired E-selectin expression.

Incidences of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are high among virologically suppressed HIV-infected individuals. Monocyte activation and trafficking are key mechanisms in the evolution of CVD. We studied the ability of cenicriviroc (CVC), a dual C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) and CCR5 antagonist, to influence the migration of monocytes from HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Improved Cognitive Performance and Reduced Monocyte Activation in Virally Suppressed Chronic HIV After Dual CCR2 and CCR5 Antagonism.

Objective: To evaluate changes in neuropsychological (NP) performance and in plasma and cell surface markers of peripheral monocyte activation/migration after treatment with cenicriviroc (CVC), a dual C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) and type 5 (CCR5) antagonist, in treatment-experienced, HIV-infected individuals.

Setting: Single-arm, 24-week, open-label clinical trial.

Methods: HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy ≥1 year with plasma HIV RNA ≤50 copies per milliliter and below-normal cognitive performance [defined as age-, sex-, and education-adjusted NP performance (NPZ) <-0.

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Predicts Negative Alterations in Whole-Body Insulin Sensitivity in Chronic HIV Infection.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), a key negative regulator of fibrinolysis, has been investigated to be one of the potential mechanisms of the development of impaired insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus. Because chronically stable HIV-infected individuals frequently develop abnormal glucose metabolism, including insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, we postulated that PAI-1 could be one of the multifactorial pathogenic roles in the development of impaired insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance among chronic HIV-infected individuals. From our longitudinal cohort study, we selectively recruited chronically stable HIV-infected individuals without diagnosis of diabetes mellitus at baseline (N = 62) to analyze the correlation of baseline inflammatory cytokines, including PAI-1 and whole-body insulin sensitivity, with 2-year follow-up, as measured by Matsuda Index.

Non-classical monocytes predict progression of carotid artery bifurcation intima-media thickness in HIV-infected individuals on stable antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Inflammation may contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) among antiretrovirally suppressed HIV-infected individuals. We assessed relationships of monocyte, CD8 T-cell activation and plasma biomarkers to changes in carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT).

Methods: Longitudinal study of HIV-infected subjects ≥40 years and on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) ≥3 months.

Elevation of Non-Classical (CD14+/lowCD16++) Monocytes Is Associated with Increased Albuminuria and Urine TGF-β1 in HIV-Infected Individuals on Stable Antiretroviral Therapy.

Objective: High rates of albuminuria are observed among HIV-infected individuals on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART). Though pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic responses are described as components of albuminuria in the general population, it is unclear how these responses are associated to albuminuria in ART-treated chronic HIV. We investigated the relationship of monocyte subsets and urine inflammatory and fibrotic biomarkers to albuminuria in ART-treated HIV-infected participants.

Oxidative mitochondrial DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is associated with reduced volumes of hippocampus and subcortical gray matter in chronically HIV-infected patients.

Cross-sectional relationships were examined between regional brain volumes and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 47 HIV patients [mean age 51years; 81% with HIV RNA ≤50copies/mL] on combination antiretroviral therapy. The gene-specific DNA damage and repair assay measured mtDNA 8-oxo-dG break frequency. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at 3T.

Non-Classical Monocytes and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) Correlate with Coronary Artery Calcium Progression in Chronically HIV-1 Infected Adults on Stable Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: Persistent inflammation and immune activation has been hypothesized to contribute to increased prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with chronic HIV infection. In this study, we examined the correlation of peripheral monocyte subsets and soluble biomarkers of inflammation to coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression, as measured by cardiac computed tomography scan.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal analysis utilizing baseline data of 78 participants with HIV infection on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Hawaii Aging with HIV-Cardiovascular study who had available baseline monocyte subset analysis as well as CAC measurement at baseline and at 2-year follow up.

Serum amyloid P (SAP) is associated with impaired brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in chronically HIV-1 infected adults on stable antiretroviral therapy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers and endothelial dysfunction (ED), as measured by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis utilizing baseline data of 135 participants with HIV infection on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Hawaii Aging with HIV-Cardiovascular (HAHC-CVD) study who had available baseline inflammatory biomarkers and brachial artery FMD measurements.

Results: We observed significant associations between brachial artery FMD and baseline brachial artery diameter, age, male gender, traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as BMI, waist to hip ratio, hypertension, systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, and LDL cholesterol, and 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk estimated by Framingham risk score (FRS).

TIGIT Marks Exhausted T Cells, Correlates with Disease Progression, and Serves as a Target for Immune Restoration in HIV and SIV Infection.

HIV infection induces phenotypic and functional changes to CD8+ T cells defined by the coordinated upregulation of a series of negative checkpoint receptors that eventually result in T cell exhaustion and failure to control viral replication. We report that effector CD8+ T cells during HIV infection in blood and SIV infection in lymphoid tissue exhibit higher levels of the negative checkpoint receptor TIGIT. Increased frequencies of TIGIT+ and TIGIT+ PD-1+ CD8+ T cells correlated with parameters of HIV and SIV disease progression.

Albuminuria is associated with elevated acute phase reactants and proinflammatory markers in HIV-infected patients receiving suppressive combination antiretroviral therapy.

Albuminuria among HIV-infected individuals has been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Inflammation has been associated with albuminuria. The pathophysiology of albuminuria in HIV-infected individuals is poorly understood.