Bradley E. Aouizerat

Abstract

Stimulant use may accelerate HIV disease progression through biological and behavioral pathways. However, scant research with treated HIV-positive persons has examined stimulant-associated alterations in pathophysiologic processes relevant to HIV pathogenesis. In a sample of 55 HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using sexual minority men with a viral load less than 200 copies/mL, we conducted RNA sequencing to examine patterns of leukocyte gene expression in participants who had a urine sample that was reactive for stimulants (n = 27) as compared to those who tested non-reactive (n = 28). Results indicated differential expression of 32 genes and perturbation of 168 pathways in recent stimulant users. We observed statistically significant differential expression of single genes previously associated with HIV latency, cell cycle regulation, and immune activation in recent stimulant users (false discovery rate p < 0.10). Pathway analyses indicated enrichment for genes associated with inflammation, innate immune activation, neuroendocrine hormone regulation, and neurotransmitter synthesis. Recent stimulant users displayed concurrent elevations in plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor – alpha (TNF-α) but not interleukin 6 (IL-6). Further research is needed to examine the bio-behavioral mechanisms whereby stimulant use may contribute to HIV persistence and disease progression.

Abstract

Widespread pain and anxiety are commonly reported in cancer patients. We hypothesize that cancer is accompanied by attenuation of endogenous opioid-mediated inhibition, which subsequently causes widespread pain and anxiety. To test this hypothesis we used a mouse model of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the tongue. We found that mice with tongue SCC exhibited widespread nociceptive behaviors in addition to behaviors associated with local nociception that we reported previously. Tongue SCC mice exhibited a pattern of reduced opioid receptor expression in the spinal cord; intrathecal administration of respective mu (MOR), delta (DOR), and kappa (KOR) opioid receptor agonists reduced widespread nociception in mice, except for the fail flick assay following administration of the MOR agonist. We infer from these findings that opioid receptors contribute to widespread nociception in oral cancer mice. Despite significant nociception, mice with tongue SCC did not differ from sham mice in anxiety-like behaviors as measured by the open field assay and elevated maze. No significant differences in c-Fos staining were found in anxiety-associated brain regions in cancer relative to control mice. No correlation was found between nociceptive and anxiety-like behaviors. Moreover, opioid receptor agonists did not yield a statistically significant effect on behaviors measured in the open field and elevated maze in cancer mice. Lastly, we used an acute cancer pain model (injection of cancer supernatant into the mouse tongue) to test whether adaptation to chronic pain is responsible for the absence of greater anxiety-like behavior in cancer mice. No changes in anxiety-like behavior were observed in mice with acute cancer pain.

Abstract

Objective: To assess variation in genes that regulate cholesterol metabolism in relation to the natural history of HIV infection. Design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Methods: We examined 2050 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 19 genes known to regulate cholesterol metabolism in relation to HIV viral load and CD4 + T-cell levels in a multiracial cohort of 1066 antiretroviral therapy-naive women. Results: Six SNPs were associated with both HIV viral load and CD4 + T-cell levels at a false discovery rate of 0.01. Bioinformatics tools did not predict functional activity for five SNPs, located in introns of nuclear receptor corepressor 2, retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRA), and tetratricopeptide repeat domain 39B. Rs17111557 located in the 3′ untranslated region of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) putatively affects binding of hsa-miR-548t-5p and hsa-miR-4796-3p, which could regulate PCSK9 expression levels. Interrogation of rs17111557 revealed stronger associations in the subset of women with HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection (n=408, 38% of women). Rs17111557 was also associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in HIV/HCV coinfected (β: -10.4; 95% confidence interval: -17.9, -2.9; P=0.007), but not in HIV monoinfected (β:1.2; 95% confidence interval: -6.3, 8.6; P=0.76) women in adjusted analysis. Conclusion: PCSK9 polymorphism may affect HIV pathogenesis, particularly in HIV/HCV coinfected women. A likely mechanism for this effect is PCSK9-mediated regulation of cholesterol metabolism. Replication in independent cohorts is needed to clarify the generalizability of the observed associations.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Reliable non-invasive markers to characterize inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are lacking. We investigated the relationship between plasma cytokine levels and features of NAFLD histology to gain insight into cellular pathways driving NASH and to identify potential non-invasive discriminators of NAFLD severity and pattern.METHODS: Cytokines were measured from plasma obtained at enrollment in pediatric participants in NASH Clinical Research Network studies with liver biopsy-proven NAFLD. Cytokines were chosen a priori as possible discriminators of NASH and its components. Minimization of Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was used to determine cytokines retained in multivariable models. RESULTS: Of 235 subjects, 31% had "Definite NASH" on liver histology, 43% had "Borderline NASH", and 25% had NAFLD but not NASH. Total plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI1) and activated PAI1 levels were higher in pediatric participants with Definite NASH and with lobular inflammation. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) was higher in those with stage 3-4 fibrosis and lobular inflammation. sIL-2rα was higher in children with stage 3-4 fibrosis and portal inflammation. In multivariable analysis, PAI1 variables were discriminators of Borderline/Definite NASH, definite NASH, lobular inflammation and ballooning. IL-8 increased with steatosis and fibrosis severity; sIL-2rα increased with fibrosis severity and portal inflammation. IL-7 decreased with portal inflammation and fibrosis severity.CONCLUSIONS: Plasma cytokines associated with histology varied considerably among NASH features, suggesting promising avenues for investigation. Future, more targeted analysis is needed to identify the role of these markers in NAFLD and to evaluate their potential as non-invasive discriminators of disease severity.

Abstract

Persistent pain following breast cancer surgery is a significant problem. Both inherited and acquired mechanisms of inflammation appear to play a role in the development and maintenance of persistent pain. In this longitudinal study, growth mixture modeling was used to identify persistent breast pain phenotypes based on pain assessments obtained prior to and monthly for 6 months following breast cancer surgery. Associations between the “no pain” and “mild pain” phenotypes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning 15 cytokine genes were evaluated. The methylation status of the CpG sites found in the promoters of genes associated with pain group membership was determined using bisulfite sequencing. In the multivariate analysis, three SNPs (i.e., interleukin 6 (IL6) rs2069840, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) rs4073, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) rs1800610) and two TNF CpG sites (i.e., c.−350C, c.−344C) were associated with pain group membership. These findings suggest that variations in IL6, CXCL8, and TNF are associated with the development and maintenance of mild persistent breast pain. CpG methylation within the TNF promoter may provide an additional mechanism through which TNF alters the risk for mild persistent breast pain after breast cancer surgery. These genetic and epigenetic variations may help to identify individuals who are predisposed to the development of mild levels of persistent breast pain following breast cancer surgery.

Abstract

Objective/background Daytime napping longer than one hour has been associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Associations between cytokine polymorphisms and daytime napping in chronic illnesses such as HIV, however, have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to examine cytokine polymorphisms associated with long daytime napping in adults living with HIV. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a convenience sample of 257 adults living with HIV. Daytime napping was assessed with wrist actigraphy data collected over three days. Participants categorized as long nappers (≥60 min) were compared to short nappers and non-nappers (<60 min). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 15 candidate genes involved in cytokine signaling were analyzed. Genes included: interferon-gamma (IFNG), IFNG receptor 1 (IFNGR1), interleukins (IL1B, IL1R, IL1R2, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL13, IL17A), nuclear factors of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells (NFKB1 and NFKB2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA). Results After adjusting for relevant demographic and clinical characteristics, long daytime napping was associated with 12 SNPs from seven genes: 1) IFNG rs2069728; 2) IL1B rs1143642, rs1143627, and rs16944; 3) IL2 rs2069763; 4) IL6 rs4719714, rs1554606, and rs2069845; 5) IL17A rs3819024 and rs8193036; 6) NFKB1 rs4648110; and 7) NFKB2 rs1056890. Conclusions Cytokine genetic variations may have a role in physiological regulation of daytime napping as well as nocturnal sleep. Cytokine polymorphisms associated with long daytime napping could help identify adults with HIV who may benefit from targeted therapeutic interventions.

Abstract

Context Adults with venous leg ulcers frequently experience multiple symptoms that may influence quality of life (QOL). Objectives The objective of this study was to identify patient subgroups based on their experience with a pain-depression-fatigue-sleep disturbance symptom cluster and to identify differences in patient characteristics and wound-healing and QOL outcomes between the subgroups. Methods Secondary data analysis from previous longitudinal studies of 247 patients with venous leg ulcers. Latent class analysis identified subgroups of patients with distinct experiences with the symptom cluster of pain, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Hierarchical regression analysis identified relationships between the subgroups and QOL outcomes. Survival analysis identified differences between the subgroups and ulcer healing. Results Latent class analysis found 67% of patients were in a mild symptom subgroup (i.e., experiencing no or mild pain, depressive symptoms, fatigue, or sleep disturbance). One-third of the samples were in a severe symptom subgroup, who reported moderate-to-severe levels of these symptoms. Compared with the mild subgroup, patients in the severe subgroup had poorer QOL scores (t = 8.06, P < 0.001). Symptom subgroup membership accounted for 19% of the variance (P < 0.001) within a hierarchical regression model that explained 42% of the variance in QOL (F(7,170) = 16.89, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.42). Cox proportional hazards regression found that at enrollment into the study, patients in the severe symptom subgroup were 1.5 times (95% confidence interval 1.02–2.08) less likely to heal in the following 24 weeks (P = 0.037). Conclusion Significant relationships were found between delayed ulcer healing, decreased QOL, and membership in the severe symptom subgroup. These findings suggest that comprehensive symptom assessment is needed to identify patients at higher risk for poor outcomes and enable early intervention.

Abstract

Inflammasomes are multi-protein complexes integrating pathogen-triggered signaling leading to the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-18 (IL-18). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are associated with elevated IL-18, suggesting inflammasome activation. However, there is marked person-to-person variation in the inflammasome response to HCV and HIV. We hypothesized that host genetics may explain this variation. To test this, we analyzed the associations of plasma IL-18 levels and polymorphisms in 10 genes in the inflammasome cascade. About 1538 participants with active HIV and/or HCV infection in three ancestry groups are included. Samples were genotyped using the Illumina Omni 1-quad and Omni 2.5 arrays. Linear regression analyses were performed to test the association of variants with log IL-18 including HCV and HIV infection status, and HIV RNA in each ancestry group and then meta-analyzed. Eleven highly correlated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (r2 =0.98-1) in the IL-18-BCO2 region were significantly associated with log IL-18; each T allele of rs80011693 confers a decrease of 0.06 log pg ml-1 of IL-18 after adjusting for covariates (rs80011693; rs111311302 β=-0.06, P-value=2.7 × 10-4). In conclusion, genetic variation in IL-18 is associated with IL-18 production in response to HIV and HCV infection, and may explain variability in the inflammatory outcomes of chronic viral infections.

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major comorbidity among HIV-infected individuals. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cCIMT) is a valid and reliable subclinical measure of atherosclerosis and is known to predict CVD. We performed genome-wide association (GWA) and admixture analysis among 682 HIV-positive and 288 HIV-negative Black, non-Hispanic women from the Women’s Interagency HIV study (WIHS) cohort using a combined and stratified analysis approach. We found some suggestive associations but none of the SNPs reached genome-wide statistical significance in our GWAS analysis. The top GWAS SNPs were rs2280828 in the region intergenic to mediator complex subunit 30 and exostosin glycosyltransferase 1 (MED30 | EXT1) among all women, rs2907092 in the catenin delta 2 (CTNND2) gene among HIV-positive women, and rs7529733 in the region intergenic to family with sequence similarity 5, member C and regulator of G-protein signaling 18 (FAM5C | RGS18) genes among HIV-negative women. The most significant local European ancestry associations were in the region intergenic to the zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 5D gene and NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex assembly factor 1 (ZSCAN5D | NDUF1) pseudogene on chromosome 19 among all women, in the region intergenic to vomeronasal 1 receptor 6 pseudogene and zinc finger protein 845 (VN1R6P | ZNF845) gene on chromosome 19 among HIV-positive women, and in the region intergenic to the SEC23-interacting protein and phosphatidic acid phosphatase type 2 domain containing 1A (SEC23IP | PPAPDC1A) genes located on chromosome 10 among HIV-negative women. A number of previously identified SNP associations with cCIMT were also observed and included rs2572204 in the ryanodine receptor 3 (RYR3) and an admixture region in the secretion-regulating guanine nucleotide exchange factor (SERGEF) gene. We report several SNPs and gene regions in the GWAS and admixture analysis, some of which are common across HIV-positive and HIV-negative women as demonstrated using meta-analysis, and also across the two analytic approaches (i.e., GWA and admixture). These findings suggest that local European ancestry plays an important role in genetic associations of cCIMT among black women from WIHS along with other environmental factors that are related to CVD and may also be triggered by HIV. These findings warrant confirmation in independent samples.

Abstract

Background: A low proportion of CD28- CD8+ T cells that express CD57 is associated with increased mortality in HIV infection. The effect of increasing body mass index (BMI) changes in the proportion of CD57+ CD28- CD8+ T cells among HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy is unknown. Setting: In a US cohort of HIV-infected women, we evaluated associations of BMI and waist circumference with 3 distinct CD8+ T cell phenotypes: % CD28- CD57+ CD8+ T cells, % CD57+ of CD28- CD8+ T cells, and % CD28- of all CD8+ T cells. Methods: Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to estimate beta coefficients for each of 3 T-cell phenotypes. Covariates included HIV parameters (current and nadir CD4, current viral load), demographics (age, race, income, and study site), and lifestyle (tobacco and alcohol use) factors. Results: Of 225 participants, the median age was 46 years and 50% were obese (BMI >30 m2/kg). Greater BMI and waist circumference were both associated with higher % CD28- CD57+ CD8+ T cells and % CD57+ of all CD28- CD8+ T cells in multivariable analysis, including adjustment for HIV viral load (all P < 0.05). The association between greater BMI and the overall proportion of CD28- CD8+ cells in fully adjusted models (0.078, 95% confidence interval: -0.053 to 0.209) was not significant. Conclusions: In this analysis, greater BMI and waist circumference are associated with greater expression of CD57 on CD28- CD8+ T cells and a greater proportion of CD57+ CD28- CD8+ T cells. These findings may indicate that increasing BMI is immunologically protective in HIV-infected women. Future research is needed to understand the prognostic importance of these associations on clinical outcomes.