Role of inflammation in HIV-1 disease progression and prognosis

Inflammation and immune activation have been thrust to center stage in the understanding of HIV-1 disease pathogenesis and progression. Early work demonstrated that heightened levels of immune activation correlated with the extent of CD4+T cell death in lymphoid tissue; however, this concept was not incorporated into the general view of disease pathogenesis. Since these early studies, the extension of life for patients on combination antiretroviral therapies (cART) has heralded a new era of non-AIDS-related diseases and incomplete restoration of immune function. The common link appears to be ongoing inflammation and immune activation. Thus, despite good control of viral loads, persons living with HIV (PLWH) remain at increased risk of inflammatory-associated complications such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. HIV-specific mechanisms as well as non-specific generalized responses to infection contribute to ongoing activation of the immune system. An early loss of gastrointestinal (GI) tract mucosal integrity, the pro-inflammatory cytokine milieu, co-infections and marked destruction of lymph node architecture are all factors contributing to the ongoing activation of the immune system as well as impaired immune recovery. It is becoming increasingly evident that the CD4 count and viral load do not provide a complete picture of the underlying state of the immune system. Heightened levels of inflammatory markers have been shown to predict increased mortality and other adverse events. Therefore, it will be important to incorporate these markers into management algorithms as soon as possible. This is particularly relevant in resource-poor countries where difficulties in cART roll-out and access are still encountered and, therefore, a mechanism for prioritizing individuals for therapy would be of value. This review will focus on the closely inter-related concepts of immune activation and inflammation. Both are broad concepts involving the interaction of various key players in the immune system. Importantly, immune activation promotes inflammation and thrombosis and similarly, inflammation and thrombosis induce immune activation. These concepts are thus intricately linked. Studies highlighting the potentially harmful effects of ongoing inflammation/immune activation are reviewed and the contributions of the GI tract damage and other coinfections such as CMV are explored. The complications resulting from persistent immune activation include enhanced CD4+T cell death, lymphoid tissue destruction, and various pathologies related to chronic inflammation. Ultimately, we envision that the long-term management of the disease will incorporate both the identification and the amelioration of the potentially harmful effects of ongoing immune activation and inflammation.