Ccr5 co-receptor expression on circulating cd4+lymphocytes in hiv-1 patients on haart at moi teaching and referral hospital, eldoret-Kenya

Abstract

HIV-1 continues to be a major public health problem globally and particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The expression of CCR5 co-receptors and its influence on HIV-1 entry into host cells and tissues has been studied mostly in developed countries outside Africa. The impact of HAART on the expression of CCR5 co-receptor on host cells is little studied in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study focused on expression of CCR5 co-receptor on circulating CD4+ T cells in HIV-1 patients on HAART. A cross-sectional study design of 48 adult HIV-1 patients on HAART and an equal number of HAART naïve were recruited. Blood samples were assayed for CD4+ T cells and CCR5 co-receptor by FACS Calibur® while viral loads were quantified by COBAS® Amplicor version 2. The median expression (%) of CCR5 co-receptors on CD4+T were1.32 and 0.80 in patients on HAART and HAART naïve respectively, p=0.003. The median in the viral loads (copies/ml) were 111.5 and 39301 in patients on HAART and the HAART naïve respectively, p=0.001.This study concluded that HAART up-regulates CCR5 co-receptor expression in HIV-1 infected participants compared to HIV-1 infected but HAART naïve counterparts.