Protease Inhibitor Vs. Raltegravir-based ART and Inflammation in HIV Infection

Summary

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection damages body defence mainly by affecting two important white blood cells called cluster of differentiation (CD4) T cells and monocytes. This immune dysfunction leads to persistent inflammation, which is partially resolved with long-term anti-HIV therapy. Importantly, such inflammation increases risk for cardiovascular, diabetes, and kidney diseases. The causes of this inflammation are largely unknown and include HIV itself, presence of other infections, lifestyle characteristics like increased cholesterol levels, obesity, smoking and alcohol abuse. In addition, inflammation can be driven by certain type of anti-HIV therapy called protease inhibitor (PI). PI has been associated with an increase of cholesterol and may contribute to inflammation. A new class of medication that is now available in Canada called integrase inhibitor (II) may have a lesser or no effect on cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is important to study the effect of II on cholesterol levels and inflammation. The purpose of this study is to assess the inflammatory changes, in the blood of persons treated with PI that will switch to the II or may remain on their PI-containing regimen. By comparing persons continuing their current PI-based regimen with those who switch to II-based regimen, we will know if the change from PI to raltegravir (Isentress), a type of II, decreases lipids and inflammatory markers. The adult persons living with HIV, who are on PI-based therapy for more than a year, with any CD4 T cell count and plasma viral load below level of detection, will be invited to participate in the study. 40 study participants will be selected by randomization (like a toss of a coin) to either continue PI-based regimen (20 participants) or switch to raltegravir-based regimen (20 participants) for a period of 12 months. Blood samples of the study participants will be drawn before, during and at the end of study to evaluate changes in markers of inflammation, cholesterol level and CD4 T cell and monocyte function. No experimental anti-HIV medication will be used; change of therapy will include raltegravir which is one of currently recommended medications to treat HIV in Canada. This study will be able to answer this important question whether inflammation can be decreased by switching therapy from PI-based therapy to raltegravir-based therapy. Ultimately, information provided by this study will contribute to the health of persons living with HIV.

Timeline

Start

2017-01-20

Primary completion

2021-03-31

Completion

2021-03-31

Publications

• Background Jenabian MA, Mehraj V, Costiniuk CT, Vyboh K, Kema I, Rollet K, Paulino Ramirez R, Klein MB, Routy JP. Influence of Hepatitis C Virus Sustained Virological Response on Immunosuppressive Tryptophan Catabolism in ART-Treated HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2016 Mar 1;71(3):254-62. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000859.
• Background Jenabian MA, El-Far M, Vyboh K, Kema I, Costiniuk CT, Thomas R, Baril JG, LeBlanc R, Kanagaratham C, Radzioch D, Allam O, Ahmad A, Lebouche B, Tremblay C, Ancuta P, Routy JP; Montreal Primary infection and Slow Progressor Study Groups. Immunosuppressive Tryptophan Catabolism and Gut Mucosal Dysfunction Following Early HIV Infection. J Infect Dis. 2015 Aug 1;212(3):355-66. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiv037. Epub 2015 Jan 23.
• Background Mehraj V, Jenabian MA, Vyboh K, Routy JP. Immune Suppression by Myeloid Cells in HIV Infection: New Targets for Immunotherapy. Open AIDS J. 2014 Dec 29;8:66-78. doi: 10.2174/1874613601408010066. eCollection 2014.
• Background Cao W, Mehraj V, Trottier B, Baril JG, Leblanc R, Lebouche B, Cox J, Tremblay C, Lu W, Singer J, Li T, Routy JP; Montreal Primary HIV Infection Study Group; Vezina S, Charest L, Milne M, Huchet E, Lavoie S, Friedman J, Duchastel M, Villielm F, Cote P, Potter M, Lessard B, Charron MA, Dufresne S, Turgeon ME, Rouleau D, Labrecque L, Fortin C, de Pokomandy A, Hal-Gagne V, Munoz M, Deligne B, Martel-Laferriere V, Gilmore N, Fletcher M, Szabo J. Early Initiation Rather Than Prolonged Duration of Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV Infection Contributes to the Normalization of CD8 T-Cell Counts. Clin Infect Dis. 2016 Jan 15;62(2):250-257. doi: 10.1093/cid/civ809. Epub 2015 Sep 8.
• Background Aounallah M, Dagenais-Lussier X, El-Far M, Mehraj V, Jenabian MA, Routy JP, van Grevenynghe J. Current topics in HIV pathogenesis, part 2: Inflammation drives a Warburg-like effect on the metabolism of HIV-infected subjects. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2016 Apr;28:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2016.01.001. Epub 2016 Jan 27.
• Background Routy JP, Angel JB, Patel M, Kanagaratham C, Radzioch D, Kema I, Gilmore N, Ancuta P, Singer J, Jenabian MA. Assessment of chloroquine as a modulator of immune activation to improve CD4 recovery in immune nonresponding HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. HIV Med. 2015 Jan;16(1):48-56. doi: 10.1111/hiv.12171. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

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