Publication Abstract Display
Type: Published Abstract
Title: Cerebrospinal Fluid Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-[cancer] and Soluble TNF Receptors Levels in Cocaine Users and Patients with HIV-associated Dementia.
Authors: Letendre S, Durand RJ, and McCutchan JA
Year: 1999
Publication: 6th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
Volume: Session 245 Issue: Pages:
Abstract:TNF[cancer] can upregulate HIV replication in infected cells. CSF TNF[cancer] and HIV RNA are elevated in HAD.Since COC increases TNF[cancer] secretion and enhances HIV replication by TNF[cancer]-related mechanisms, users may have disproportionate CSF elevations resulting in increased risk of HAD. Levels of sTNFR and TNF[cancer] are correlated but sTNFR are more stable. Methods: HIV+ subjects were assigned consensus neurocognitive diagnoses based on standardized neuropsychological and neuromedical exams. Subjects were matched by disease stage and included 7 COC users without HAD, 10 non-COC users with HAD, and 16 with neither condition (controls).TNF[cancer] and sTNFR (p75) were assayed by ELISA.HIV RNA was measured by RT-PCR. Results: Median CSF level of TNF[cancer] was 0.62 pg/ml (range 0.18-9.96) and of sTNFR was 446.4 pg/ml (range 17.2-4,657). These levels correlated in the HAD (Rho=0.56, p=0.09) and COC (Rho=0.86, p=0.01) groups but not in controls. CSF TNF[cancer] levels in the COC and HAD groups were similar and were higher than controls (p = 0.04, Wilcoxon).CSF sTNFR levels were nearly different across groups (p=0.10), trending lower than controls in the COC group and higher in the HAD group. CSF TNF[cancer] (Rho=0.64, p=0.05) and sTNFR (Rho=0.69, p=0.03) correlated with levels of HIV RNA in the HAD group, but not in the control or COC groups. Conclusions: In patients with HAD, CSF levels of TNF[cancer] and sTNFR are elevated and correlate with CSF HIV RNA. Cocaine users also have elevated CSF TNF[cancer], but not sTNFR, and neither correlates with CSF HIV RNA, suggesting that the relationship between TNF[cancer] and HIV RNA is obscured by cocaine use.

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