Seminario Ana Lucia, Karczewski Ashley E, Chung Whasun, Wang Yan, Wamalwa Dalton, Benki-Nugent Sarah, John-Stewart Grace, Slyker Jennifer A, Kemoli Arthur
Timothy A. DeRouen Center for Global Oral Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Biomed Hub. 2024 Jan 29;9(1):25-30. doi: 10.1159/000535596. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.
Human cathelicidin LL-37 is a salivary antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with broad-spectrum activity against oral diseases, but few studies have assessed its role in children and adolescents living with HIV (CALHIV). We assessed salivary LL-37 levels and correlates in a long-term cohort of Kenyan CALHIV followed since antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation.
Saliva was collected from 76 CALHIV who were recruited from two ongoing pediatric HIV studies in Nairobi, Kenya. Oral examinations documenting oral manifestations of HIV, dental caries, and gingivitis were completed. Additional variables included age, sex, HIV treatment (initial ART regimen) and disease parameters, caregivers' demographics, and oral pathologies were conducted. Data were statistically analyzed using the independent test on the log-transformed LL-37.
At the oral exam visit, the mean age of participants was 13.3 years (±SD = 3.4), and the median CD4 count was 954 cells/mm. Mean salivary cathelicidin values of the cohort were 23.7 ± 21.1 ng/mL. Children with permanent dentition at time of oral examination, and children who initiated ART at ≥2 years old had higher mean LL-37 concentrations compared to those with mixed dentition and those who initiated ART <2 years old ( = 0.0042, 0.0373, respectively). LL-37 levels were not found to differ by initial type of ART regimen, CD4 count, or oral disease.
Further research and longitudinal studies are necessary to evaluate and improve the innate immunity of CALHIV in Kenya.
人源杀菌肽LL-37是一种唾液抗菌肽（AMP），对口腔疾病具有广谱活性，但很少有研究评估其在感染艾滋病毒的儿童和青少年（CALHIV）中的作用。我们评估了自抗逆转录病毒疗法（ART）开始以来一直随访的肯尼亚CALHIV长期队列中的唾液LL-37水平及其相关因素。
从肯尼亚内罗毕两项正在进行的儿科艾滋病毒研究中招募的76名CALHIV中收集唾液。完成了记录艾滋病毒口腔表现、龋齿和牙龈炎的口腔检查。还纳入了其他变量，包括年龄、性别、艾滋病毒治疗（初始ART方案）和疾病参数、照顾者的人口统计学特征以及口腔病理学检查。对经对数转换的LL-37数据进行独立t检验进行统计学分析。
在口腔检查访视时，参与者的平均年龄为13.3岁（±标准差 = 3.4），CD4细胞计数中位数为954个/mm³。该队列的唾液杀菌肽平均水平为23.7±21.1 ng/mL。口腔检查时处于恒牙列期以及开始ART时年龄≥2岁的儿童，其平均LL-37浓度高于处于混合牙列期以及开始ART时年龄<2岁的儿童（分别为P = 0.0042，0.0373）。未发现LL-37水平因初始ART方案类型、CD4细胞计数或口腔疾病而有所不同。
有必要进行进一步的研究和纵向研究，以评估和改善肯尼亚CALHIV的先天免疫力。
