Plasma selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in HIV-1/AIDS infected patients: a correlation with the disease progression.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To find a correlation, if any, between the concentration of plasma selenium and erythrocyte activity in HIV-infected patients with the progression of the disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Plasma selenium concentration and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were measured in 62 HIV-1 seropositive patients before commencing antiretroviral drug. Thirty (30) age-matched and apparently healthy HIV-1/11 seronegative subjects were recruited as control subjects. HIV-1 seropositive patients were classified according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Criteria.

RESULTS

The mean plasma selenium concentrations of 0.53+/-0.06_mol/L and 0.71+/-0.10_mol/L were significantly reduced (P<0.001) in HIV- 1 patients with CD4+ count of <200 lym/mm3 and that of 200-499 lym/mm3 respectively when compared with the controls which is 1.01+/-0.10_mol/L. The mean erythrocyte GSH-Px activity of 15.1+/-2.4 U/g Hb and 20.7+/-3.7U/g Hb of HIV-1 seropositive patients with CD4+ count of <200 lym/mm3 and 200-499 lym/mm3 respectively were significantly reduced (P<0.001) compared with 31.5+/-4.5 U/g Hb for the control. Our results clearly show that there is reduced scavenging antioxidant i.e Selenium and GSH-Px which will lead to oxidative stress in the HIV-1 patients when compared with controls, and decrease significantly with the progression of disease, i.e. AIDS<symptomatics<asymptomatics<controls. HIV-1 subtype variants have no significant influence in both parameters.

CONCLUSION

The inclusion of selenium micronutrient which is essential for the activity of erythrocyte GSH-Px as an adjuvant in the management of HIV seropositive patients to prevent additional damage that can be caused by free radicals will be of immense benefit.