The high frequency of autoantibodies in HIV patients declines on antiretroviral therapy

Autoantibodies have been described in samples from HIV positive patients, but the effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain unclear. In a retrospective longitudinal study, we applied clinical assays for autoantibodies to sera collected from 13 HIV positive patients as they began ART with <210 CD4 T-cells/μL and over 2 years on treatment. Twelve of the 13 patients had at least one autoantibody. The frequency peaked before ART (21 from 156 assays) and declined to 8/143 positive reactions after 2 years. As anti-smooth muscle (ASM) antibodies remained common, these assays were applied to HIV patients (n = 67) who had <50 copies HIV RNA/mL plasma after 13 (2-17) years on ART, and healthy controls (n = 55). The frequency of ASM was high in these patients and correlated with levels of total IgG. Hence the high frequency of autoantibodies before ART declined, but did not disappear, with successful therapy. Autoantibody levels may reflect B-cell hyperactivity in patients stable on ART.