Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection is associated with significant mucosal inflammation characterized by increased expression of CCR5, CXCR4, and beta-chemokines

Mucosal inflammation is characterized by increased expression of proinflamm atory cytokines and chemoattractant chemokines, resulting in infiltration o f immunocompetent cells. This study compared the degree of mucosal inflamma tion in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected gut mucosa wit h that in tissue samples from subjects with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD ) and from healthy seronegative control subjects. Gut mucosal biopsy specim ens were immunohistochemically stained and were evaluated by in situ imagin g. There was significantly increased expression of HIV-1 coreceptors CCR5 a nd CXCR4, beta -chemokine RANTES, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) -1 alpha and MIP-1 beta, as well as increased numbers of T'cells in lamina propria of HIV-1-infected patients. The results were similar in patients wi th IBD and in HIV-1-infected patients, suggesting increased inflammation in the colon of HIV-1-infected patients. To further investigate the effect of inflammation in HIV-l-infected lamina propria, treatments that reduce immu ne activation in lamina propria must be evaluated.