The Study on the Relationship between PD-1/PD-L1 mRNA Expression and Progression in HIV/AIDS Patients

Objective: To explore the relationship between the mRNA expression of PD-1/PD-L1 in the peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) from acute HIV-infected long-term non-progressors (LINP), typical progressors (TP) and the AIDS patients, and the progress of the disease. Methods: Collecting whole blood from 26 long-term non-progressors (LINP), 23 typical progressors (TP), 21 AIDS patients and 18 healthy individuals as control from Hangzhou city. The PD-1/PD-L1 mRNA expression in the PBMCs was examined by using RT-PCR technique. Results: The PD-1 mRNA expression in typical progress or group is higher than that in long-term non-progress or group (P<;0.05), PD-L1, however, has no significant difference compared with healthy control group. In the syphilis group amalgamatively infected with HIV and HIV infector group alone, PD-1 mRNA expression are higher than that of healthy control, but between the HIV infector group amalgamatively infected with HBV or HCV and HAART group, there are no significant difference compared to healthy control group. The PD-L1 mRNA expression in every group, except therapy group, has no almost obvious difference relative to healthy control group. Conclusion: PD-1 mRNA is over-expressed in typical progress or group, the syphilis group amalgamatively infected with HIV and HIV infecter group alone. Expression of PD-1 mRNA is related to the progression of the HIV-infected disease.