ALISON RODRIGUEZ
Researchers must discover diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), according to an article by Howard E. Gendelman published in EBioMedicine.
Gendelman explained that HAND is a viral comorbidity that remains common despite advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Furthermore, the commentary noted that cognitive, behavioral, and motor dysfunctions, including asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI), mild neurocognitive disorder (MND), and HIV-associated dementia (HAD), often lead to HAND in up to half of ART-treated and HIV-infected individuals.
“The presence of inflammation and linked neurodegeneration in both the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of people infected with and treated with ART affects the production of disease biomarkers. Each also underscores the strong associations between inflammation and disease,” Gendelman noted. “Several groups propose various inflammatory biomarkers of the disease, including, but not limited to, platelet-activating factor, arachidonic acid and its metabolites, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 7.”
Gendelman suggested that there is an immediate need to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HAND and for a separation of comorbid conditions, substance abuse disorders, and immune impairment with regard to ART.
The article also mentioned a previous study that discovered new biomarkers by showing that circulating levels of ATP and PG2 are easily identifiable during viral infection, even when they are below the detection limit in uninfected individuals.
“Taken together, the results of this study indicate that circulating ATP levels may be a useful predictor of [cognitive impairments] and possibly that blocking Panx-1 channels could lead to new therapies by reducing the common chronic inflammation seen in infected individuals.” Gendelman added, “While the mechanism for increased ATP levels in the HIV-infected population is unknown, the findings were selective, as no association was observed between ATP levels and stroke or other infections, as well as genetic factors, ethnicity, or gender.”
Gendelman concluded by emphasizing the need for future studies that use previous findings to help establish a clinical biomarker for HAND.
From: https://www.contagionlive.com/news/the-search-for-hivassociated-neurocognitive-disorder-biomarkers