Circulating Biomarkers of Immune Activation Distinguish Viral Suppression from Nonsuppression in HAART-Treated Patients with Advanced HIV-1 Subtype C Infection

Few studies have examined immune activation profiles in patients with advanced HIV-1 subtype C infection or assessed their potential to predict responsiveness to HAART. BioPlex, ELISA, and nephelometric procedures were used to measure plasma levels of inflammatory biomarkers in HIV-1 subtype C-infected patients sampled before and after 6 months of successful HAART (n=20); in patients failing HAART (n=30); and in uninfected controls (n=8). Prior to HAART, CXCL9, CXCL10, β2M, sTNF-R1, TGF-β1, IFN-γ, IL-6, TNF, and sCD14 were significantly elevated in HIV-1-infected patients compared to controls (P<0.01). All of these markers, with the exception of sTNF-R1, were also elevated in patients failing HAART (P