Alterations in lipid transfer to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and activity of paraoxonase-1 in HIV+ patients

HIV patients often develop alterations of the plasma lipids that may implicate in development of premature coronary artery disease. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) has all important role ill preventing atherogenesis and the aim of this study was to investigate aspects of HDL function in HIV+ patients. HIV+ patients (n = 48) and healthy control Subjects (it = 45) of both sexes with similar age were Studied. Twenty-five were not being treated with antiretroviral agents. 13 were under reverse transcriptase inhibitor nucleosidic and non-nucleosidic (NRTI+NNRTI) and 10 were under NRTI + protease inhibitors (NRTI+PI) treatment. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity and the transfer of free and esterified cholesterol, tryglicerides and phospholipids from a lipidic nanoemulsion to HDL were analyzed. In comparison with healthy controls, HIV+ patients presented low PON-1 activity and diminished transfer of free cholesterol and tryglicerides. In contrast. phospholipid transfer was increased ill those patients, whereas the transfer of cholesteryl esters was Unchanged. NRTI+NNRTI increases the transfer of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides but in NRTI+PI there was no difference in respect to non-treated HIV+ patients. HDL from HIV+ patients has smallerantioxidant properties. as shown by lower PON-1 activity, and the transfer of lipids to this lipoprotein fraction is also altered, suggesting that HDL function is defective in those patients.