Association of nutritional abnormalities and immune parameters in HIV-1 seronegative homosexual men

Nutritional parameters and immune function in HIV-1 seronegative, homosexual males (n = 42) were evaluated in order to provide comparison data for investigation of the role of nutrition in HIV-1 infection. Our findings indicate that a high proportion of the homosexual HIV-1 seronegative men (70%) in this study, exhibited at least one nutritional abnormality, with 26% showing multiple aberrations. The majority of men demonstrated inadequate riboflavin status, and low levels of plasma copper. Blood levels of vitamin B sub(6) and zinc were decreased in a smaller proportion of the population. The following interactions between nutrients and immune function in HIV-1 seronegative homosexual males were documented: low plasma zinc was associated with decreased CD4 cell number, mitogen responsiveness and natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity; impaired vitamin B sub(6) status was related to decreased mitogen responsiveness; low plasma copper was associated with a significantly increased CD4 cell number, and individuals with two or more specific nutrient abnormalities had decreased mitogen responsiveness and NK cell cytotoxicity, when compared to HIV-1 seronegative subjects with adequate nutritional status

The esterified plasma fatty acid profile is altered in early HIV-1 infection.

Previous studies have shown that alterations in micronutrient utilization occur in patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. In this study, total plasma fatty acid composition was measured in 36 homosexual men infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV‐1) and in 17 HIV‐1 seronegative homosexual men in order to evaluate differences associated with early HIV‐1 infection. Immunologic assessment included CD4 cell number count and lymphocyte blastogenesis in response to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed (PWM). The mean total amount of ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (18∶2 and 20∶4) was significantly lower in the HIV‐1 seropositive subjects (38±8.1% SD) as compared to HIV‐1 seronegative subjects (43±4.2%;P=0.0027). This was also reflected in a higher level of total saturated fatty acids (16∶0 and 18∶0) in HIV‐1 seropositive subjects (30±2.2%vs. 26±2.8%;P=0.0001). The ratio of linoleic to arachidonic acid (18∶2 to 20∶4) was higher in the HIV‐1 seronegative group (6.76±4.88) compared to the HIV‐1 seronegative group (4.86±1.37;P=0.0213). The response to PHA in seropositive subjects correlated inversely with total plasma ω6 fatty acids (r=−0.36;P=0.027), and directly with the 18∶2 to 20∶4 ratio (r=0.33;P=0.046). CD4 cell counts and the response to PWM did not correlate with plasma fatty acid levels in HIV‐1 seropositive subjects. We conclude that early HIV‐1 infection is associated with lower plasma ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, notably arachidonic acid, than are controls, and that the changes in the plasma fatty acid profile correlate with some indices of immune function

Vitamin B12 in early human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection.

TO THE EDITOR.— We read with great interest the article by Harriman and colleagues1 entitled "Vitamin B12 Malabsorption in Patients With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome" that appeared in the September issue of the Archives. We are currently conducting a similar investigation on the incidence and prevalence of malnutrition in a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-positive cohort of homosexual men. Our study is part of a comprehensive evaluation of psychosocial and biological cofactors associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and its progression. Subjects are homosexual men, aged 20 to 50 years, asymptomatic of other than persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (Centers for Disease Control stages II and III), and confirmed to be HIV-1 seropositive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot. Initial evaluation of 84 subjects reveals that while there were no differences between the mean cyanocobalamin levels among the groups, a significant proportion of the HIV-positive subjects demonstrated lo