The effects of HIV on immune cells and correlation with cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Although the roll-out of anti-retroviral therapy has slowed down the spread of HIV-AIDS, studies have shown that the treatment can still increase the risk of developing cardio-metabolic issues. In this study, we hypothesized that the effects of HIV on immune cells could contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The goal of our study was to analyze the changes in the T and monocyte cell subsets of the immune system caused by HIV. We also examined the relationship between these changes and the viral load. The study was conducted in Egypt, where 80 participants were recruited. They were divided into groups based on their CD4 count, as well as those who were HIV-nave and those who were treated with cART. The control group had a CD4 count of 500 cells/L, while the group that was HIV-positive had a count of 200 cells/L. The data collected during the study were used to analyze the effects of the HIV treatment on the monocyte and T cells subsets. They were then analyzed using flow cytometry. In addition to these, the researchers also used tissue factor and CD38 to identify the changes in the monocyte subpopulation.The results of the study revealed that the levels of coagulation and inflammation markers significantly increased in the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations. The co-expression of these markers also increased.