Cerebrospinal fluid beta 2-microglobulin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and soluble tumour necrosis factor alpha receptors before and after treatment with lamivudine plus zidovudine or stavudine

CSF levels of beta 2-microglobulin (b2m), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (M CP-I), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNFRs), and HIV-I RNA were determined in 16 neurologically asymptomatic HIV-I infected patients befor e and 12 weeks after treatment with lamivudine plus zidovudine or stavudine , b2m levels were significantly higher in patients (1.7 mg/l) compared with controls (0.8 mg/l) (P < 0.001). and decreased to 1.1 mg/l during treatmen t (P = 0.001), MCP-1 levels were low, and did not change during treatment. Levels of sTNFR type I were elevated in patients (0.92 ng/ml) compared to c ontrols (0.30 ng/ml) (P = 0.03), but did not change during treatment. Level s of sTNFR type II were below the limit of detection in most patients and c ontrols. In conclusion, CSF levels of b2m and HIV-1 RNA, but not sTNFRs or MCP-I, are candidate surrogate markers of treatment efficacy in early CNS i nfection. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.