Mannose-binding Lectin With Hiv Infection

Mannan-binding lectin or mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a major component in the innate immune system, and it is a calcium dependent serum protein that can bind to various carbohydrate structures. Upon binding to carbohydrates on the surface of micro-organisms and particulate materials, it can activate complement and fill the role of immune defence. MBL gene polymorphism and its serum concentration level associated with many diseases even AIDS.Since November 2005, about 482 HIV seropositive people (mean age 42 years; 3-74 years; 248 male; 234 female) had been enrolled. Blood samples were collected every six months which had been performed three times. Count the CD4~+ T cell with a flow-cytometry. MBL concentrations were quantified by ELISA. We also determined whether those patients were infected with type B hepatitis type C hepatitis or Syphilis by the ELISA kits respectively. The frequency of MBL allele mutation was detected by the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) .Compared with the health population we found that the morbidity of type B hepatitis type C hepatitis and Syphilis was higher in the HIV seropositive people. The high infection rate may be caused by the similar infection way. Furthermore we found that the normal serum level of MBL can help to decrease the rate of syphilis infection.We found that the amount of CD4~+ T cell in females were more than in males. And we also got the conclusion that MBL concentration was associated with sex, and it was higher in male patients than in females (t=4.143; p<0.05).All the samples were divided into four groups through the serum level of MBL. We found that the patients with high MBL concentrations (>4500ng/ml) meant high risk that their CD4~+ T cell count would be under 200/mm~3 (X~2 =11. 67 P<0. 05). The patients whose MBL concentrations were between 1000ng/ml to 4500ng/ml their CD4~+ T cells were significant more than others whose MBL concentrations were out this range (p=0. 004). Even in the patients that their CD4~+ T cell numbers were under 200/mm~3, the group that MBL serum level were from 1000ng/ml to 4500ng/ml would have more CD4~+ T cells than others. And MBL concentration correlated to the CD4~+ T cell count (p=0. 039), however, the connection only worked as the concentration under 4500ng/ml.Although we did not get the proof to identify the relation between the MBL concentration and HIV virus load, we could see some trails from the data that the changes of the MBL concentration affected the quantity of virus load. We thought that the MBL could restrain the replication of HIV more or less.The MBL level in allele mutation carrier was much lower than it in wild homozygote carrier. The mutation frequency in the patients was much higher than it in the health. There were two women die of AIDS during the study, both of them were heterozygote. It maybe suggested that the MBL exon mutation would promote the progression of the disease.The patients will have better conditions when their MBL serum levels range from 1000ng/ml to 4500ng/ml. The patients MBL concentrations correlate with their conditions, but too high level can make the disease more severe, such as exceed 4500ng/ml. The reason that high MBL concentration did harm to the patient condition was unknown still. We think that MBL play a minor role in defence the virus invading and restrain the HIV replication.