Fosamprenavir treatment in a highly active antiretroviral therapy schedule induces a HCV-RNA decrease and a Th1 network boost in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2010 Jun;16(6):676-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02897.x. Epub 2009 Jul 20.

Abstract

HIV/HCV co-infected naïve patients (four females and six males) were evaluated for their response to the following treatment schedule: [(AZT 300 mg + 3TC 300 mg twice daily) + (fosamprenavir 700 mg twice daily) + (RTV 100 mg)]. CD3+/CD4+ T cells, interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) HCV-specific response, viral loads and transaminase levels were evaluated at time 0, and after 1, 3 and 6 months of therapy (T0, T1, T3, and T6 respectively). HIV-RNA, HCV-RNA and transaminases decreased at T1 and T3 compared with T0 (Mann-Whitney p <0.001, p <0.01 and p <0.01, respectively). At all time points, CD4+ and HCV-specific INF-gamma responses were higher (p <0.001; p <0.001), and IL-4 lower (p <0.01) after treatment. At T6, HCV-RNA was only negative in four out of ten patients whereas all had normal transaminase levels. These findings indicate that HAART treatment including fosamprenavir is able to activate a Th1 network in HIV/HCV co-infected patients. Moreover, these results, to be confirmed by larger cohort follow-up studies, suggest that this protease inhibitor could have potential implications for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-positive patients.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Carbamates / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Furans
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / complications
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / immunology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / virology*
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Organophosphates / therapeutic use*
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use*
  • Transaminases / blood
  • Viral Load*

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Carbamates
  • Furans
  • Organophosphates
  • RNA, Viral
  • Sulfonamides
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Transaminases
  • fosamprenavir