Association between Plasma Homocysteine Levels and Neuronal Injury in HIV Infection
Journal article, 2016

Objective To investigate the role of homocysteine in neuronal injury in HIV infection. Methods Using a cross-sectional design and archived samples, we compared concentrations of plasma homocysteine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light protein (NFL), a sensitive marker of neuronal injury, in 83 HIV-1-infected subjects without antiretroviral treatment. We also analyzed plasma vitamin B12, serum folate, CSF, and plasma HIV RNA, the immune activation marker neopterin in CSF and serum, and albumin ratio as a marker of blood-brain barrier integrity. Twenty-two subjects provided a second sample median of 12.5 months after antiretroviral treatment initiation. Results A significant correlation was found between plasma homocysteine and CSF NFL concentrations in untreated individuals (r = 0.52, p < 0.0001). As expected, there was a significant inverse correlation between homocysteine and B12 (r = -0.41, p < 0.001) and folate (r = -0.40, p = < 0.001) levels. In a multiple linear regression analysis homocysteine stood out as an independent predictor of CSF NFL in HIV-1-infected individuals. The correlation of plasma homocysteine and CSF NFL was also present in the group receiving antiretroviral therapy (r = 0.51, p = 0.016). Conclusion A correlation between plasma homocysteine and axonal injury, as measured by CSF NFL, was found in both untreated and treated HIV. While this study is not able to prove a causal link, homocysteine and functional B12/folate deficiency appear to play a role in neural injury in HIV-infected individuals.

Author

Erika Ahlgren

University of Gothenburg

Lars Hagberg

University of Gothenburg

Dietmar Fuchs

Medical University of Innsbruck

L. M. Andersson

University of Gothenburg

Staffan Nilsson

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematical Statistics

University of Gothenburg

Henrik Zetterberg

University of Gothenburg

Magnus Gisslén

University of Gothenburg

PLoS ONE

1932-6203 (ISSN) 19326203 (eISSN)

Vol. 11 7 e0158973- e0158973

Subject Categories

Neurosciences

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0158973

PubMed

27441551

More information

Created

10/8/2017