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. 2020 Feb;26(1):52-59.
doi: 10.1007/s13365-019-00794-3. Epub 2019 Aug 29.

Monocyte activation, HIV, and cognitive performance in East Africa

L Arnoldo Muñoz-Nevárez  1 , Brandon M Imp  2 , Michael A Eller  3   4 , Francis Kiweewa  5 , Jonah Maswai  3   6   7 , Christina Polyak  3   4 , Omalla Allan Olwenyi  5 , I Elaine Allen  1   8 , Eric Rono  3   6   7 , Benedetta Milanini  9 , Hannah Kibuuka  5 , Julie A Ake  3 , Leigh Anne Eller  3   4 , Victor G Valcour  10   11
Affiliations

Monocyte activation, HIV, and cognitive performance in East Africa

L Arnoldo Muñoz-Nevárez et al. J Neurovirol. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Chronic inflammation associated with monocyte activation has been linked to HIV-related cognitive outcomes in resource-rich settings. Few studies have investigated this relationship in the African context where endemic non-HIV infections may modulate effects. We characterized immune activation biomarkers in Kenyan and Ugandan participants in relation to neuropsychological testing performance (NTP) from the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS). We focused on activation markers associated with monocytes (sCD14, sCD163, neopterin), T cells (HLA-DR+CD38+ on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes), and microbial translocation (intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, I-FABP). The HIV-infected (n = 290) vs. HIV-uninfected (n = 104) groups were similar in age with mean (SD) of 41 (9.5) vs. 39 (9.9) years, respectively (p = 0.072). Among HIV-infected participants, the mean (SD) current CD4+ count was 402 (232); 217 (75%) were on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and 199 (69%) had suppressed plasma HIV RNA. sCD14 was inversely correlated to NTP (r = - 0.14, p = 0.037) in models that included both HIV-infected and uninfected individuals, adjusted for HIV status and research site, whereas sCD163 was not (r = 0.041, p = 0.938). Neither of the T cell activation markers correlated with NTP. In the HIV-infected group, I-FABP was inversely associated with NTP (r = - 0.147, p = 0.049), even among those with suppressed plasma virus (r = - 0.0004, p = 0.025). Among the full group, HIV status did not appear to modulate the effects observed. In this cohort from East Africa, sCD14, but not sCD163, is associated with cognitive performance regardless of HIV status. Findings among both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected groups is supportive that HIV and non-HIV-related inflammatory sources contribute to cognitive performance in this setting.

Keywords: Cognition disorders; Eastern Africa; HIV; Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein; sCD14; sCD163.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND SOURCE OF FUNDING: This work was supported by the Military Infectious Disease Research Program and also conducted in collaboration with a PEPFAR supported basic program evaluation through the Department of Defense (DoD) and funded via a cooperative agreement (W81XWH-11-2-0174) between the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., and the U.S. DoD. Dr. Valcour’s contributions were supported by K24MH098759 from the National Institute of Mental Health and by the Global Brain Health Institute (www.GBHI.org).

Dr. Valcour has served as a consultant for ViiV Healthcare, Merck, and IAS-USA on topics related to aging and HIV. All other authors have nothing to declare. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be construed to represent the positions of the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense.

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