Reduced Plasma Levels of sCD14 and I-FABP in HIV-infected Patients with Mesalazine- treated Ulcerative Colitis

Background: Microbial translocation (MT) is a shared feature of HIV infection and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aims: This study was conducted to assess the impact of IBD (and particularly ulcerative colitis, UC) on plasma markers of MT and immune activation in HIV+ subjects.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 groups of patients: HIV+/UC+(group HIV/UC); HIV+/UC- (group HIV); HIV-/UC+(group UC). Plasma levels of soluble CD14 (sCD14), intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), and endotoxin core antibodies (endoCAB) were measured as plasma markers of MT. Inflammation and immune activation were evaluated by measuring plasma levels of IL-6, IL-21, TNF-alpha, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). T- and B-cells subpopulations were characterized by FACS analysis.Results: Seven patients were enrolled in group HIV/UC, 9 in HIV, and 10 in UC. All HIV-positive patients had plasma values of HIV-1 RNA < 37 copies/mL for at least 12 months and good immunological recovery. All patie...