SERUM 27E10 ANTIGEN - A NEW POTENTIAL MARKER FOR STAGING HIV DISEASE

MRP8 and MRP14 are myeloic related proteins expressed by most circulat ing and emigrated neutrophils and monocytes. Their composite molecule MRP8/14 (27E10 antigen) was shown to exhibit striking antimicrobial pr operties. The aim of the present study was to assess the value of MRPs as markers for detection of the different stages of HIV infection (Ce ntres for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993). By employing the ELIS A technique we measured serum concentrations of these proteins in samp les from 122 HIV patients at the various stages of disease, and the re sults were compared with those for healthy controls. Serum levels of t he heterodimeric molecule 27E10 were significantly increased (P<0.001) in patients with CDC stages II and III, with the highest levels being in patients with stage III and acute ongoing opportunistic infections . For the single component MRP14, significantly raised levels (P<0.05) were only found in HIV stage III individuals with acute clinical even ts. Similar associations were not found for MRP8 alone. Increase wats not related to CD4(+) cell count. There was a significant correlation between 27E10 antigen serum concentrations and levels of neopterin in patients with HIV stages II and III without acute concurrent illness. Patients being treated with Zidovudine showed no statistically signifi cant variation in levels of 27E10 and its single components MRP8 and M RP14 compared with untreated patients. These findings suggest that ele vation of MRP14 levels occurs in HIV+ individuals at later stages post -HIV infection, after the onset of opportunistic infections. 27E10 ant igen is concluded to be a potential marker for the different stages of HIV disease.