HIV infection causes ageing, not just antiretrovirals

2023/12/05 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza
• Mikrobiologia

People infected with HIV suffer premature ageing and associated pathologies. Now, in the Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, they have presented an indicator related to this process. In addition, they state that the cause of aging is the infection itself.

The study measured the level of microRNA molecules in the blood of people with HIV. These molecules modulate gene expression, and they found that the level of one of them was much higher than normal. MiR-21-5p is a molecule related to inflammation and oxidant stress that in turn are the cause of premature aging.

To confirm the hypothesis, we analyzed people who, despite being infected with HIV, do not develop AIDS (called elites). These people have a protective mutation, but they had also increased their miR-21-5p and, although the infection was controlled, had chronic inflammation. Thus, they discover that aging depends on infection, whether or not they acquire antiretrovirals.

According to the researchers, the results are useful for monitoring the health status of patients.