Effect Of Intestinal Microbial Translocation On The Body’s Immune System And Liver Function In AIDS Combined Hepatitis C Virus Infected Patients

Objective:To invastigate the effect of intestinal microbial translocation on the immune system and liver function in AIDS patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus.Methods:We selected HIV infection 31 cases who were received antiretroviral therapy, AIDS coinfected with HCV 27 cases (AIDS/HCV), HCV infection 22 cases, healthy controls 35 cases. Collecting the fasting blood of all subjects, and the immune factors of closely related to the disease were measured by ELISA, including interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), intestinal microbial translocation products of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), soluble CD14 molecule (sCD14), intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP), and anti endotoxin core antibody (EndoCAb) in plasma. The CD4+T cell count of peripheral blood were detected by Flow cytometry from AIDS coinfected with HCV and AIDS patients. The following liver function tested in all subjects:alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil) value. Comparison to AIDS coinfected with HCV finding the closely related to immune factors, changes in microbial translocation products and disease, Correlation analysis to the peripheral blood CD4 +T cells with the immune factors and microbial translocation products, respectively.Results:(i). IL-10, IL-6, TNF-a, LPS, LBP, EndoCAb, sCD14, and IFABP levels were higher in the peripheral blood of AIDS/HCV coinfection than that of HIV/HCV monoinfection. (ii). LPS, LBP, sCD14, and IFABP have interaction with HIV and HCV, respectively. (iii). The immune factors and microbial translocation products with peripheral blood CD4+T cell count was no significant correlation in AIDS/HCV coinfected patients, (iv). The ALT and AST of AIDS/HCV coinfected group were higher than that of AIDS group, which were statistically significant (P<0.05) in the two groups, respectively. While TBil was no significant difference in the four groups (P>0.05).Conclusion:(i). The immune system is activated after AIDS patients coinfected HCV and released a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines to damage organism. (ii). The interaction between HIV and HCV infection enhanced the damage of intestinal barrier and intestinal microbial translocation. (iii). Clinicians can make use of CD4+T cell counts to assess the therapeutic effect of ART in AIDS/HCV patients, but not as the only index to reflect the systemic immune inflammatory conditions. (iv). The interaction between HIV and HCV infection prompt further liver damage that depends on the impact of HCV infection and microbial translocation.