Cytokine levels of interleukin-2 and 7 amongst antiretroviral therapy success and failure HIV patients attending the University Teaching Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Abstract

Immune reconstitution complications (IRC) are major problems faced by HIV treated patients worldwide. Interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-7 play vital roles in peripheral T-cell homeostasis. Our study objective was to measure and compare the blood plasma levels of IL-2 and IL-7 amongst antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients attending the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital, Cameroon. We performed a cross-sectional study with 296 HIV positive patients enrolled between July 2017 and May 2018 at the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital. IL-2, IL-7, T-cell profile counts and plasma viral load were measured on whole blood specimens. Data obtained were analyzed using Graph Pad Prism 5.0 and Epi info 7.0 Software. IL-2 and IL-7 plasma concentration levels were higher in patients with ART failure compared to ART success, with a mean ± SD of 19.4±8 and 17.1±6 pg /ml, 35.26±11 and 21.5±5 pg/ml, with p < 0.001 and < 0.001. There was a direct and significant correlation between viral load, IL-2 and IL-7 with p values = 0.028, and 0.020, respectively. There was an association between IL-2, IL-7 and viral load in relation to the duration on treatment (DT), with p values = 0.003 (R²= 0.041, CI= 0.069 – 0.34) ,0.017 (R²= 0.027, CI= -0.30 – 0.030), and 0.001 (R²= 0.048, CI= -0.047–0.76). Considering that limited surrogate markers are available for monitoring immune reconstitution and high associated mortality rates, IL-2 and IL-7 could be a good immunological predictor for ART failure and success in HIV infected individuals.

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Keywords: Homeostasis, Immune reconstitution, Interleukins, ART