Soluble HLA G serum levels in patients with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome affected by different AIDS-defining conditions before and after anti-retrovirel treatment

We have previously reported that serum levels of soluble HLA-A, -B, -C and -G antigens are elevated in HIV-infected subjects and decrease after antiretroviral theraphy. In this study we measured soluble HLA-G serum levels in patients with AIDIS affected by different AIDIS-defining conditions before and during antiretroviral therapy and correlated them with virological and immunological parameters. Soluble HLA-G levels were significantly higher in AIDIS patients before treatment as compared to healthy controls and signifacantly decreased after 36 months of theraphy, correlating with the decrease of plasma HIV-RNA level and CD8+ T-lymphocytes number and with the increase of CD4+ T-lymphocytes number. Soluble HLA-G levels were significantly higher in patients with opportunistic infections and Kaposi's sarcoma as compared with those with wasting syndrome. These data suggest that infections and neoplasms may trigger the shedding of soluble HLA-G in serum might represent a surrogate marker to monitor virological response and immune reconstitution in HIV-positive subjects.