Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of iron status are associated with CSF viral load, antiretroviral therapy, and demographic factors in HIV-infected adults.

TitleCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of iron status are associated with CSF viral load, antiretroviral therapy, and demographic factors in HIV-infected adults.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsPatton, SM, Wang, Q, Hulgan, T, Connor, JR, Jia, P, Zhao, Z, Letendre, SL, Ellis, RJ, Bush, WS, Samuels, DC, Franklin, DR, Kaur, H, Iudicello, J, Grant, I, Kallianpur, AR
JournalFluids Barriers CNS
Volume14
Issue1
Pagination11
Date Published2017 Apr 21
ISSN2045-8118
KeywordsAdult, Anti-Retroviral Agents, Apoferritins, Blood-Brain Barrier, Cohort Studies, Demography, Female, HIV Infections, Humans, Iron, Male, Middle Aged, Transferrin, Viral Load
Abstract

BACKGROUND: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains common, despite antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV dysregulates iron metabolism, but cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of iron and iron-transport proteins in HIV-infected (HIV+) persons are largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to characterize CSF iron-related biomarkers in HIV+ adults and explore their relationships to known predictors of HAND.METHODS: We quantified total iron, transferrin and heavy-chain (H)-ferritin by immunoassay in CSF sampled by lumbar puncture in 403 HIV+ participants in a multi-center, observational study and evaluated biomarker associations with demographic and HIV-related correlates of HAND [e.g., age, sex, self-reported race/ethnicity, ART, and detectable plasma virus and CSF viral load (VL)] by multivariable regression. In a subset (N = 110) with existing CSF: serum albumin (Q) measurements, Q and comorbidity severity were also included as covariates to account for variability in the blood-CSF-barrier.RESULTS: Among 403 individuals (median age 43 years, 19% women, 56% non-Whites, median nadir CD4+ T cell count 180 cells/µL, 46% with undetectable plasma virus), men had 25% higher CSF transferrin (median 18.1 vs. 14.5 µg/mL), and 71% higher H-ferritin (median 2.9 vs. 1.7 ng/mL) than women (both p-values ≤0.01). CSF iron was 41% higher in self-reported Hispanics and 27% higher in (non-Hispanic) Whites than in (non-Hispanic) Blacks (median 5.2 and 4.7 µg/dL in Hispanics and Whites, respectively, vs. 3.7 µg/dL in Blacks, both p ≤ 0.01); these findings persisted after adjustment for age, sex, and HIV-specific factors. Median H-ferritin was 25% higher (p < 0.05), and transferrin 14% higher (p = 0.06), in Whites than Blacks. Transferrin and H-ferritin were 33 and 50% higher, respectively, in older (age > 50 years) than in younger persons (age ≤ 35 years; both p < 0.01), but these findings lost statistical significance in subset analyses that adjusted for Q and comorbidity. After these additional adjustments, associations were observed for CSF iron and transferrin with race/ethnicity as well as CSF VL, for transferrin with sex and ART, and for H-ferritin with plasma virus detectability and significant comorbidity (all p < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: CSF iron biomarkers are associated with demographic factors, ART, and CSF VL in HIV+ adults. Future studies should investigate a role for CNS iron dysregulation, to which an altered blood-CSF barrier may contribute, in HAND.

DOI10.1186/s12987-017-0058-1
Alternate JournalFluids Barriers CNS
PubMed ID28427421
PubMed Central IDPMC5399327
Grant ListK24 MH097673 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
P30 MH062512 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
K23 DA037793 / DA / NIDA NIH HHS / United States
R01 MH107345 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
R01 MH095621 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States