High CXCL10/IP-10 levels are a hallmark in the clinical evolution of the HIV infection

The aim of this study was to investigate the modulation of plasma CXCL10, CCL20, CCL22, CCL2, CCL17 and CCL24 levels in HIV-positive patients grouped according to extreme phenotypes of progression to AIDS, and at different stages of HIV infection. HIV-positive individuals with extreme phenotypes of AIDS progression (n = 58) at different clinical stages (chronic individuals, both pre-HAART and under-HAART) and HIV-negative controls (n = 20) were evaluated. Additionally, HIV-positive individuals that initiated HAART with > 350 CD4+ T-cells/mm3 were compared with those who initiated treatment with < 350 CD4+ T-cells/mm3. Plasma levels of six chemokines were quantified by a Luminex assay. Higher CXCL10 levels were observed in individuals immediately before their CD4+ T-cell levels were indicative for HAART (pre-HAART), independently of their progressor status, i.e. slow (SPs) or rapid progressors (RPs). SPs pre-HAART showed higher CXCL10 levels compared to elite controllers and RPs under HAART (pc = 0.009 and pc = 0.007, respectively). CXCL10 levels were higher in SPs HAART CD4 < 350 (initiated HAART with < 350 CD4+ T-cells) when compared with SPs HAART CD4 > 350 (initiated HAART with > 350 CD4+ T-cells) (1096 vs. 360.33 pg/mL, p = 0.0101). Normalisation of CXCL10 levels seems to depend on the CD4+ T-cell nadir at HAART initiation. CCL20 levels were higher in chronic SPs, SPs pre-HAART, SPs HAART and RPs HAART compared with the HIV-negative controls, indicating persistent CCL20 expression. In conclusion, our results indicate that CXCL10 levels are a hallmark in the clinical evolution of HIV infection. However, our results must be verified in a study evaluating a larger number of AIDS progressors.