Hematological Alterations and Thymic Function in Newborns of HIV-Infected Mothers Receiving Antiretroviral Drugs.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs on hematological parameters and thymic function in HIVuninfected newborns of HIV-infected mothers. Study design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Chiang-Mai University Hospital, Chiang-Mai, Thailand. Participants/Patients: 49 HIV-uninfected and 26 HIV-infected pregnancies. Methods: Cord blood samples of newborns from HIVuninfected and HIV-infected mothers were collected. Hematological parameters were measured using automatic blood cell count. T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) levels in cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs), CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were quantified using real-time PCR. Main Outcome Measures: Hemotological parameters and thymic function. Results: Newborn of HIV-infected mother tended to have lower mean levels of hemoglobin than those of HIV-uninfected mother (137 ± 22 vs 146 ± 17 g/L, P = 0.05). Furthermore, mean of red blood cell (RBC) counts and hematocrit and median of TRECs in CD4+ T-cells in the newborns of the former were significantly lower than those of the latter [3.6 ± 0.7 vs 4.8 ± 0.6 x 1012 cells/L, P <0.001; 0.40 ± 0.07 vs 0.46 ± 0.05 L/L, P <0.001 and 0.53 (IQR: 0.03-5.76) vs 13.20 (IQR: 2.77-27.51) x 10-3 pg/μL, P = 0.02, respectively]. Conclusion: ARV drugs altered hematological parameters and thymic function (TRECs CD4+ T-cells) in HIV-uninfected newborns of HIV-infected mothers.

Frequencies of IL10 SNP genotypes by multiplex PCR-SSP and their association with viral load and CD4 counts in HIV-1-infected Thais.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-10 is an immuno-regulatory cytokine, levels of which can be influenced by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter. Some, but not all previous studies have shown associations of IL10 SNPs with HIV-1 disease progression, using markers such as viral load or CD4 count. There are few data on IL10 SNP frequencies and HIV-1 disease in regions where non-B HIV-1 subtypes predominate. Objective: To determine genotypes, haplotypes, allele frequencies and associations with markers of HIV-1 disease progression of IL10 SNPs. Methods: A new multiplexed PCR-SSP assay to detect IL10 SNPs at positions -1082, -819 and -592 was developed and used to determine genotypes and haplotypes in 244 HIV-1 CRF01_AE-infected northern Thais having a median time since HIV-1 infection of 2.7 years. Results: At position -1082 of IL10, AA genotype and A allele were the most common (87.3% and 93.2%, respectively). The -819 CT and -592 CA genotypes were the most prevalent (44.3%), and -819T and -592A were the most prevalent alleles (64.8%). The ATA/ATA was the most common genotype (42.6%) with the most prevalent haplotype of ATA (64.7%). No associations of any of the three IL10 SNPs with CD4+ or CD8+ T cell counts or with viral load were found. Conclusions: This first report of IL10-1082A, -819T and the IL10-592A allele frequencies in HIV-1-infected Thais shows the highest frequencies in HIV-1-infected persons worldwide. The lack of association of IL10 SNPs with CD4+ T cell count and viral load suggest that other genes may influence these markers in HIV-1-infected Thais.