Dados do Trabalho

Título

Higher levels of TNF and IL-4 cytokines and low miR-182 expression in visceral leishmaniasis-HIV co-infected patients

Introdução

Visceral leishmaniasis-HIV co-infection is an important neglected disease widespread through the globe, which the number of cases have increased in Brazil. Studies are essential for determining possible biomarkers of susceptibility to diseases and therapeutic targets, helping to understand immunological mechanisms related to VL-HIV co-infection.

Objetivo(s)

The aim of the present study was to assess serum cytokine and miRNA expression in visceral leishmaniasis-HIV (VL-HIV) co-infection and HIV mono-infection.

Material e Métodos

We analysed 113 serum samples from HIV patients in areas endemic for leishmaniasis in the State of Pernambuco, in the Northeast region of Brazil, which clinical and laboratorial data were collected from medical records. Serum cytokine levels were analyzed by flow cytometry and miRNAs expression was carried out by TaqMan. Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. The Research Ethics Committee of the Aggeu Magalhães Institute (CAAE no. 61218816.1.0000.5190) approved the study. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001, Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco [FACEPE (APQ 1712-4.01/15)] and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) [(PAPES VII—Process (401857/2015-8)].

Resultados e Conclusão

The diagnosis of VL was confirmed in 65 of these 113 samples. The VL-HIV and HIV groups presented significant differences regarding haemoglobin level (p < 0.0001), lymphocyte count (p = 0.0444), white blood cell count (p = 0.0108), weight loss (p = 0.0310), HIV load (p < 0.0001) and CD4+ T-lymphocytes count (p = 0.0003). Levels of IL-6 and IL-10, IFN-γ and IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-10, TNF and IL-2 were positively correlated in VL-HIV co-infection, indicating higher serum levels of TNF and IL-4 (p < 0.0001). In addition, miR-182 expression was found to be significantly higher in HIV (p = 0.009), miR-210 exhibited no statistically significant difference between groups, and nonexpression of miR-122 was found in both groups. Together, TNF, IL-4 and miR-182 may represent circulatory biomarkers of VL-HIV co-infection.

Palavras-chave

Cytokine; expression profiling; HIV/AIDS; leishmaniasis