Current Knowledge on the Role of Monocytes and Macrophages in the Pathogenesis of Non-AIDS Defining Events: Mechanisms, Host Factors, and Therapeutic Implications | Chapter 10 | Medical Science: Updates and Prospects Vol. 4

 

Monocytes and macrophages play a crucial role in the development of HIV infection, contributing not only to viral persistence but also to the development of non-AIDS-defining events (nADEs) in People Living with HIV (PLWH). These innate immune cells serve as long-lived viral reservoirs, driving chronic inflammation through persistent immune activation, oxidative stress, and tissue-specific damage. HIV-infected monocytes infiltrate tissues such as the cardiovascular system, liver, kidneys, and central nervous system, where they differentiate into macrophages and release pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). These mediators promote endothelial dysfunction, fibrosis, and organ damage, underpinning conditions like atherosclerosis, neurocognitive disorders, and hepatorenal disease. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of macrophage polarisation (M1/M2 imbalance) and epigenetic modifications in sustaining inflammation, even during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Besides persistent immune activation, the ability of these cells to cause tissue-specific damage is significantly influenced by host genetic factors, such as polymorphisms in the APOL1 and CCL2 genes, which can determine the severity of end-organ diseases like HIV-associated nephropathy. Additionally, epigenetic reprogramming of monocytes and macrophages—triggered by HIV proteins and the inflammatory environment—establishes a lasting pro-inflammatory state that remains despite ART. This reprogramming, marked by changes in histone modifications and DNA methylation, sustains mechanisms of tissue damage. Understanding these processes and their interaction with host factors provides critical insights for developing targeted treatments, including immunomodulators, antioxidants, and strategies for reservoir elimination. This review summarises current knowledge on how monocytes and macrophages contribute to the pathogenesis of nADEs. It explores potential new therapeutic approaches to reduce chronic inflammation and enhance clinical outcomes in PLWH.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Samuel Adinoyi Adavba
Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/msup/v4/6480

 

Health Initiatives Vitalize | Chapter 7 | Issues and Development in Health Research Vol. 3

 This chapter examines HIV/AIDS surveillance activities carried out by state and local health departments in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. The first goal is a historical analysis that focuses on the expansion of HIV Surveillance Reports, which have served as the primary source of information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the impact of HIV/AIDS in the United States and its eight independent areas for the past four decades. A second goal is to examine the role of state health departments in active surveillance, which helps to ensure that HIV/AIDS data in HIV Surveillance Reports is accurate and functioning. Bletzer [1] is expanded and improved in this chapter.

Author (S) Details

Keith V. Bletzer
Adjunct Faculty, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.

View Book :- https://stm.bookpi.org/IDHR-V3/article/view/3301

Description of Psychological Distress and Coping Style in HIV-infected Patients | Chapter 6 | Issues and Development in Health Research Vol. 3

 Background: The progression of HIV infection is associated with a considerable degree of mental anguish. The researchers wanted to see if there was a link between psychological distress, depression, coping style, and immune activity in HIV patients.

The goal of this study was to examine current understandings of depression and psychological distress among HIV-positive people in West Romania.

The study enlisted the participation of 110 HIV-positive people from Timisoara's Clinic of Infectious Diseases. The Beck depression inventory (BDI), the perceived stress scale (PSS), and the brief orienting to the problems experienced (Brief- COPE) scale were all used in each patient's self-report. Immune activation was measured using CD4 cell counts and viral load (VL).

The findings revealed that 26% of research participants had BDI scores suggesting moderate depression, whereas 3% had severe depression. Furthermore, PSS values of more than 10 were seen in 24.5 percent of the patients. Lower CD4 cell counts (r = 0.275, p0.004) and higher VL (r = 0.211, p 0.027) were associated with higher degrees of sadness. CD4 had a negative association with self-blaming, but VL had a positive relationship with behavioural disengagement.

Conclusion: Increased depression, in combination with higher levels of perceived psychological distress, leads to maladaptive coping strategies that are connected to HIV infection progression.

Author (S) Details

Iosif Marincu
Department of Infectious Diseases, Pneumology and Parasitology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Romania.

Iulia Vidican
Department of Infectious Diseases, Pneumology and Parasitology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Romania.

Felix Bratosin
Department of Infectious Diseases, Pneumology and Parasitology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Romania.

Oana Suciu
Department of Infectious Diseases, Pneumology and Parasitology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Romania.

Livius Tirnea
Department of Infectious Diseases, Pneumology and Parasitology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Romania.

View Book :- https://stm.bookpi.org/IDHR-V3/article/view/3300