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Query: UMLS:C0019693 (HIV)
 170,526 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although weight loss associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is multifactorial in its pathogenesis, it has been speculated that hypogonadism, a common occurrence in HIV disease, contributes to depletion of lean tissue and muscle dysfunction. We, therefore, examined the effects of testosterone replacement by means of Androderm, a permeation-enhanced, nongenital transdermal system, on lean body mass, body weight, muscle strength, health-related quality of life, and HIV-disease markers. We randomly assigned 41 HIV-infected, ambulatory men, 18-60 yr of age, with serum testosterone levels below 400 ng/dL, to 1 of 2 treatment groups: group I, two placebo patches (n = 21); or group II, two testosterone patches designed to release 5 mg testosterone over 24 h. Eighteen men in the placebo group and 14 men in the testosterone group completed the 12-week treatment. Serum total and free testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels increased, and LH and FSH levels decreased in the testosterone-treated, but not in the placebo-treated, men. Lean body mass and fat-free mass, measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, increased significantly in men receiving testosterone patches [change in lean body mass, +1.345 +/- 0.533 kg (P = 0.02 compared to no change); change in fat-free mass, +1.364 +/- 0.525 kg (P = 0.02 compared to no change)], but did not change in the placebo group [change in lean body mass, 0.189 +/- 0.470 kg (P = NS compared to no change); change in fat-free mass, 0.186 +/- 0.470 kg (P = NS compared to no change)]. However, there was no significant difference between the 2 treatment groups in the change in lean body mass. The change in lean body mass during treatment was moderately correlated with the increment in serum testosterone levels (r = 0.41; P = 0.02). The testosterone-treated men experienced a greater decrease in fat mass than those receiving placebo patches (P = 0.04). There was no significant change in body weight in either treatment group. Changes in overall quality of life scores did not correlate with testosterone treatment; however, in the subcategory of role limitation due to emotional problems, the men in the testosterone group improved an average of 43 points of a 0-100 possible score, whereas those in the placebo group did not change. Red cell count increased in the testosterone group (change in red cell count, +0.1 +/- 0.1 10(12)/L) but decreased in the placebo group (change in red cell count, -0.2 +/- 0.1 10(12)/L). CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts and plasma HIV copy number did not significantly change during treatment. Serum prostate-specific antigen and plasma lipid levels did not change in either treatment group. Testosterone replacement in HIV-infected men with low testosterone levels is safe and is associated with a 1.35-kg gain in lean body mass, a significantly greater reduction in fat mass than that achieved with placebo treatment, an increased red cell count, and an improvement in role limitation due to emotional problems. Further studies are needed to assess whether testosterone supplementation can produce clinically meaningful changes in muscle function and disease outcome in HIV-infected men.
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PMID:Effects of testosterone replacement with a nongenital, transdermal system, Androderm, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected men with low testosterone levels. 974 19

OBJECTIVE: To explain the high frequency of heterosexual transmission of AIDS in subSaharan countries, by investigating post-intercourse semen retention in the vagina for local pH neutralization as a possible interference factor with acidic inactivation of HIV virions. METHODS: Two semen markers, prostate-specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase, were measured and compared with the pH values in the vaginal washes of 69 women from the Central African Republic. The capacity of semen to raise the vaginal pH was also investigated in vitro. RESULTS: Of 61 non-menstrual specimens, 74% contained at least one semen marker. The specimens with high levels of markers (group I) displayed an almost neutral pH (median 6.1), at variance with the semen-free group II (median: 3.7, P<0.003), and with group III (median: 4.0) corresponding to low or past semen retention. The in vitro study confirmed the high neutralization capacity of semen. CONCLUSIONS: It is expected that post-intercourse neutralization of pH will both favor male-to-female transmission and prevent the acidity-associated loss of infectivity of the female-derived virions, thus allowing female-to-male transmission during further sexual contact.
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PMID:Vaginal pH neutralization by semen as a cofactor of HIV transmission. 1186 71

Accurate measurement of semen exposure resulting from condom failures can refine public health messages and improve predictions of condom efficacy in preventing pregnancy and HIV transmission. Eight hundred and thirty couples enrolled in a condom efficacy study were asked to collect a baseline sample of ejaculate from the inside of the first study condom they used and to collect a postcoital vaginal sample whenever a study condom broke or slipped off during intercourse. All samples were quantitatively tested for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a substance found only in human semen, using rocket immunoelectrophoresis, and inspected microscopically for presence of sperm. Sixty-eight baseline ejaculate samples collected from the inside of the first study condom by couples who subsequently experienced a condom failure averaged 13.4 microg PSA per swab and 79% of the samples averaged one or more sperm per high power field (hpf). Seventy-nine postcoital vaginal samples obtained after a condom break averaged 5.7 microg PSA per swab and only 38% averaged one or more sperm per hpf. The PSA results indicated a 50% reduction in semen exposure compared to baseline levels (p = 0.0001). Seventeen samples obtained after a condom slip-off averaged 2.5 microg PSA per swab and none of the samples averaged one or more sperm per hpf. The PSA results indicated an 80% reduction in semen exposure compared to baseline levels (p = 0.0001). Our results suggest that even condoms that fail reduce the risk of pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted disease compared to unprotected intercourse. We also used PSA results to adjust a model designed to predict consistent-use pregnancy rates from condom breakage and slippage data.
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PMID:Use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to measure semen exposure resulting from male condom failures: implications for contraceptive efficacy and the prevention of sexually transmitted disease. 1258 24

Upon binding to androgen, androgen receptor (AR) can activate expression of target genes through its direct binding to the androgen-responsive elements (AREs), which are located within the target gene promoters and/or enhancers. A number of cellular proteins have been identified as co-regulators to regulate this transactivation process. One common structural feature among these co-regulators is the presence of the LXXLL motif (X, any amino acid), the so-called nuclear receptor (NR) box, through which binding of these regulatory proteins to AR occurs. We have recently shown that Tip110 functions to potentiate the transactivation activity of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) Tat protein. In this study, we report that Tip110 is a potent AR-binding protein that can suppress AR activity. Tip110 bound to AR in an NR box-dependent manner and inhibited AREs-mediated reporter gene expression. The inhibitory effects were abolished by removal of the NR box. Moreover, knock-down of the constitutive Tip110 expression significantly augmented AR transcriptional activation. In agreement with these findings, Tip110 overexpression blocked the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene, a well characterized target gene of AR from expression in LNCaP cells. Further analysis revealed that Tip110 prevented the complex formation between AR and AREs. Taken together, these results indicate that Tip110 is a negative regulator of AR transcriptional activation, and may be directly involved in AR-related developmental, physiological, and pathological processes.
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PMID:Tip110, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat-interacting protein of 110 kDa as a negative regulator of androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activation. 1503 Dec 86

Noninvasive evaluation of gene transfer to specific cells or tissues will allow for long-term, repetitive monitoring of transgene expression. Tissue-specific promoters that restrict the expression of a transgene to tumor cells play a vital role in cancer gene therapy imaging. In this study, we have developed a third-generation HIV-1-based lentivirus vector carrying a prostate-specific promoter to monitor the long-term, sustained expression of the firefly luciferase (fl) reporter gene in living mice. The fl gene in the transcriptionally targeted vector is driven by an enhanced prostate-specific antigen promoter in a two-step transcriptional amplification (TSTA) system. The efficiency of the lentivirus (LV-TSTA)-mediated gene delivery, cell-type specificity, and persistence of gene expression were evaluated in cell culture and in living mice carrying prostate tumor xenografts. In vivo bioluminescence imaging with a cooled charge-coupled device camera revealed significantly high levels of fl expression in prostate tumors. Injection of LV-TSTA directly into the prostate of male nude mice revealed efficient and long-term fl gene expression in the prostate tissue for up to 3 months. These studies demonstrate the significant potential of TSTA-based lentivirus vectors to confer high levels of tissue-specific gene expression from a weak promoter, while preserving cell-type specificity and the ability to image noninvasively the sustained, long-term expression of reporter genes in living animals.
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PMID:Noninvasive imaging of enhanced prostate-specific gene expression using a two-step transcriptional amplification-based lentivirus vector. 1533 54

One important factor in fabricating protein microarray is to immobilize proteins without losing their activity on a solid phase. To keep them functional, it is necessary to immobilize proteins in a way that preserve their folded structural integrity. In a previous study, we developed novel Calixarene derivatives for the immobilization of proteins on the surface of a glass slide (1). In this study, we compared the sensitivity and the specificity of the linker molecules with those of five other protein attachment agents on glass slides using a prostate-specific antigen and its antibodies as a model system. The Calixcrown-coated protein chip showed a superior sensitivity and a much lower detection limit than those chips prepared by other methods. When we tested the capability of Calixcrown to immobilize antibody molecules, it appeared that Calixcrown makes arrangement of antibody be more regular with the vertical orientation than the covalent-bond agent. We also observed that the Calixcrown chip could be used for the diagnostic application with clinical samples from prostate cancer and HIV patients. Finally, we applied the Calixcrown chip using an antibody microarray to identify up- or down-regulated proteins in specific tissue and detected several up- or down-regulated proteins from a rat liver by administering toxin. Thus, the Calixcrown chip can be used as a powerful tool with a wide range of applications, including protein-protein interaction, protein-DNA interaction, and an enzyme activity assay.
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PMID:Calixarene derivative as a tool for highly sensitive detection and oriented immobilization of proteins in a microarray format through noncovalent molecular interaction. 1593 35

Testosterone treatment is controversial for men and even more so for women. Although long-term outcome data are not available, prescriptions for testosterone are becoming more common. Testosterone is used primarily to treat symptoms of sexual dysfunction in men and women and hot flashes in women. Potential benefits include improved libido, increased bone mass, and increased sense of well-being. In individuals with human immunodeficiency virus infection or other chronic diseases, testosterone has been shown to improve mood and energy levels, even in patients with normal testosterone levels. Testosterone can be administered by injection, patch, topical gel, pill, or implant. Side effects in men include polycythemia and acne. Side effects in women include acne, hepatotoxicity, and virilization and usually only occur when testosterone is used in supraphysiologic doses. Long-term studies of the effects of testosterone on prostate cancer, breast cancer, and heart disease have not been completed. Mammograms and monitoring of prostate-specific antigen, hematocrit, and lipid levels are recommended for patients taking testosterone.
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PMID:Testosterone treatments: why, when, and how? 1718 8

The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute tolerance to definitive external-beam radiation therapy (RT; EBRT) in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and HIV and to review the published literature for this population. Three patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and HIV were treated with definitive RT. Medical records were reviewed for prostate cancer and HIV characteristics, RT details, and acute toxicity. A review of the published literature was performed for epidemiology, management, and outcome of these patients. All 3 patients had excellent acute tolerance to definitive EBRT and, with short follow-up, all had decreasing prostate-specific antigen levels. The published literature regarding patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and HIV is scarce but suggests that men with HIV might be at higher risk of developing prostate cancer. External-beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, and surgery have all been used in the management of these patients. All 3 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and HIV had an excellent acute tolerance to EBRT. Prostate cancer is expected to become an increasingly important health problem for men infected with HIV as their life expectancy lengthens.
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PMID:Prostate adenocarcinoma and human immunodeficiency virus: report of three cases and review of the literature. 1685 85

Biomarkers of vaginal exposure to semen, long used in forensic medicine, are now becoming important in the development of vaginal microbicides to prevent HIV/STIs and the development of contraceptives. Semen biomarkers could help evaluate the safety of a new physical or chemical barrier, give preliminary indication of the effectiveness of physical barriers such as diaphragms or condoms, and provide information on unprotected intercourse among participants in a clinical trial who have been advised to use condoms. Candidate biomarkers of semen exposure fall into two broad categories: (1) biomarkers of seminal plasma, among which prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the best characterized; and (2) biomarkers of spermatozoa and other cells present in semen. This paper, authored by a working group of investigators performing research in the field of semen biomarkers, summarizes the characteristics of an ideal semen biomarker, reviews preclinical and clinical data on existing and potential biomarkers, and outlines the steps that should be carried out to develop an improved biomarker of semen exposure.
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PMID:Biomarkers of semen in the vagina: applications in clinical trials of contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted pathogens including HIV. 1751 46

While investigating whether proteins retrieved by cervicovaginal lavages (CVL) from women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) might correlate with risk of progression to invasive cervical cancer, we unexpectedly identified HIV gag and env glycoprotein in CVL from women with HIV-negative serology. HIV antigens were consistently identified by mass spectrometry (MS) in CVL from 4 women but were absent in CVL from the remaining 16 women. HIV serologies of all 20 patients were negative for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies. To validate the unexpected MS findings we performed Western blot (WB) and immunoaffinity chromatography (IC) analysis of CVL for HIV proteins, viral load assays of paired CVL and blood samples, and immunohistochemical HIV p24 expression in cervical biopsy specimens. WB analysis of CVL for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was performed to exclude semen contamination as the source of HIV proteins. WB and IC results demonstrated the presence of HIV-1 gp41 and p24 antigens in four CVL that were identified by MS to have the HIV proteins. Despite negative serology, HIV RNA in CVL and HIV p24 in cervix biopsies were detected in patients with HIV antigen-positive CVL. HIV p24-positive CVL were PSA negative. All 20 subjects remained HIV seronegative throughout the study. Women with HIV proteins and RNA were comparatively older. Our findings suggest that CVL HIV proteins in women with CIN could be markers for unrecognized HIV exposure or subclinical infection. Proteomic screening of cervical secretions may be useful in identifying seronegative women exposed to HIV and/or at risk for AIDS.
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PMID:Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens and RNA in HIV-seronegative women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. 1929 95


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