The impact of the role of cytokines on HIV infection in people living with HIV with and without comorbidities

Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes a deterioration of the immune system. Changes in cytokine levels are seen in HIV infection and contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. This study evaluated cytokine levels and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of genes associated with HIV infection and the development of comorbidities. The dosage of cytokines [(tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukins (IL) 1, 6, 10 and 17)] were subjected to immunoenzymatic assays, and genotypes for TNF-α SNP −308 G/A, IFN-γ + 874 T/A, IL-1β −511 C/T, IL-6 −174 G/C and IL-10 −592 C/A by the polymerase chain reaction technique of the 200 enzymes used (CONT) and 200 people living with HIV (PLHIV). Relevant results were observed in the dosage of all as cytokines. There was an increase in the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 and a reduction in the levels of INF-γ, IL-6 and IL-17 in PLHIV compared to CONT. As the SNP demonstrated a predominance of the genotype of high TNF-α producer and low IFN-γ and IL-10 producers in the PLHIV group. Changes in the TNF-α, IFN-γ tests observed in the PLHIV group may be associated with the studied SNP, while the SNP IL-10 −592 C/A seems to indicate an association of this polymorphism with risk of HIV infection. Thus, investigations of the immunoregulatory mechanisms of HIV infection may be important in the establishment of new biomarkers for prognosis, in the discovery of new therapeutic targets, in the development of immunotherapies and in the results for curing the infection.