PREPONDERANCE EFFECT OF TH1 CYTOKINES IN HIV PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAART

Abstract

Infection with HIV results in discordant immunological response characterized by dysregualtion of cytokines and a
decrease in CD4+ T cells. As HIV progresses to AIDS, there is a switch in Th1 to Th2 cytokines. In this study, plasma
cytokine levels were compared between newly diagnosed HIV-positive HAART naïve patients and HAART undergoing
patients. Additionally, the association between plasma cytokine levels and CD4+ T cell count was examined. 160 HIVpositive
individuals were enrolled for the study, of which 80 were HAART naïve and 80 were undergoing HAART for
over six months since diagnosis. The plasma cytokine levels of IFN Ɣ, IL 2, IL 4 and IL 10 were analysed using ELISA
and CD4+ T cell counts were assessed using flow cytometry. Comparing the HAART naïve patients to HAART
undergoing group, the plasma cytokine concentrations of IL 4 and IL 10 was considerably higher in HAART naïve
patients while IFN Ɣ and IL 2 concentration was greater in HAART undergoing patients. Similarly, while examining the
relationship between CD4+ T cells and plasma cytokine levels, it was discovered that IFN Ɣ significantly correlated with
CD4+ T cells in HAART-naive individuals as opposed to IL 2, IL 4, and IL 10. Therefore, an increase in Th1 cytokines
over Th2 cytokines and the restoration of immune response are indicators of successful anti-retroviral therapy