Serum levels of MIP-1beta and RANTES in HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE infected patients with different rates of disease progression.

The beta-chemokines have been shown to inhibit HIV replication in vitro. To evaluate the role of serum beta-chemokines in disease progression and their anti-viral role in vivo, we determined serum levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta (MIP-1beta) and regulated upon activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) of twenty HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE infected patients: nine progressors (PRs, follow-up CD4+ cell count < 200/mm3 and progression to AIDS or death) and eleven slower progressors (SPs, asymptomatic and/or follow-up CD4+ cell counts > 350/mm3 at the end of follow-up) and determined their plasma viral loads. The subjects were followed for at least 36 months. All had initial CD4 values > 350 cells/mm3. In this longitudinal study, serum levels of MIP-1beta and RANTES in specimens obtained either early or later in the course of HIV infection did not differ significantly between progressors and slower progressors (p > 0.05). There were no significant changes in serum MIP-1beta and RANTES levels over time in either patient group (p > 0.05). No significant associations were observed between plasma viral loads and the measured beta-chemokines (r = -0.205, p = 0.21 for MIP-1beta and r = -0.12, p = 0.492 for RANTES). The results suggest these chemokines do not play a major systemic role in control of viremia or protection against the progression of HIV disease.

The development of HIV research laboratories in the Royal Thai Army Medical Department.

The development of HIV research laboratories at the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Royal Thai Army Medical Department in supporting of HIV-1 vaccine trials in Thailand was implemented in 1991. The collaboration between AFRIMS, Royal Thai Army Medical Department, and the US Military HIV Research Program with the ultimate goal to conduct the HIV-1 vaccine trial phase III. The HIV serology lab was set up for surveillance program in military recruits. Then, there was a need to strengthen more on the existing laboratories by training personnel to cope with the confidentiality of the lab results, specimen processing and data management which are critical. Later on, the necessary laboratory for measuring of vaccine immunogenicity was developed, such as lymphoproliferation assay. Additionally, a molecular biology lab was also developed. The HIV research laboratory management must include an ability to deal with some problems, such as late specimen receiving, fluctuating of power supply, technical staffs maintained. Good laboratory practices and safety must be strictly implemented. Communication network among facilities also played an important role in HIV laboratory strengthening at AFRIMS.

In vitro susceptibility of Thai seronegative donor CD8+ T lymphocytes to human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection.

To determine whether CD8+ T lymphocytes from Thai donor cells are susceptible to HIV-1 infection, undepleted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and CD8-enriched PBMC were infected with HIV-1 Thai subtype B and CRF01_AE (E) primary isolates. Virus kinetics in HIV-1 infection of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes peaked at day 7 or 10 post infection (pi); the TCID50 used for cell infection was proportional to the level of p24 production in the cultures. We also found that the level of p24 antigen in the supernatants of infected undepleted PBMC was significantly higher than that of infected CD8-enriched PBMC. Interestingly, both single positive T lymphocytes (CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes) as well as double positive CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes were infected with HIV-1. The double positive T lymphocytes in PBMC were found only in the presence of both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. The majority of p24+/CD4-/CD8- T lymphocytes were HIV-1 infected CD4 down-modulated PBMC. This report provides direct evidence that single positive CD8+ T lymphocytes and double positive CD4+/ CD8+ T lymphocytes from Thai donors can be infected with HIV-1 subtypes B and E in vitro.

High frequency of HIV-1 and hepatitis C co-infection among young Thai men: evidence for a changing pattern of HIV transmission in Thailand.

To assess whether patterns of HIV transmission have changed in Thailand, we tested for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a marker for parenterally acquired infection among HIV-infected and uninfected young Thai men. Antibody to HCV was present in 49.5% of HIV-infected men and 2.2% among uninfected men. These data suggest that a significant number of HIV infections among young men in Thailand may be associated with injection drug use.