Disturbed glutathione metabolism and decreased antioxidant levels in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients during highly active antiretroviral therapy -: Potential immunomodulatory effects of antioxidants

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We examined the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy ( HAART) on plasma levels of several antioxidants and intracellular glutathione-redox status in CD4(+) T cells, in 20 HIV-infected patients. HAART was accompanied by both an improvement of glutathione-redox status and an increase in levels of antioxidant vitamins, without full normalization. Glutathione supplementation in vitro increases T cell proliferation and suppresses the spontaneous release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, in HIV-infected patients receiving HAART. Our findings suggest that therapeutic intervention aimed at normalization of oxidative disturbances in HIV infection could be of interest, in addition to HAART.