Background: HIV-1 can induce disturbances in adipose tissue in infected subjects through the effects of some of its proteins or inflammation. It is not known whether this also takes place in HIV-1-infected long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs). Our objectives were to determine whether adipocyte differentiation/lipid, inflammatory, and mitochondrial parameters are perturbed in abdominal wall subcutaneous adipose tissue of untreated HIV-1-infected patients LTNPs. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 10 LTNPs, 10 typical progressors (TPs), and 10 uninfected controls (UCs). The parameters assessed were peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR gamma), lipoprotein lipase, and fatty acid-binding protein 4 mRNA (adipogenic/lipid); tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 18 (IL-18), beta 2-MCG, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, CD1A, and C3 mRNA (inflammation); and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII), COIV, CYCA, nuclear respiratory factor 1, PPAR gamma coactivator 1 alpha mRNA, and mtDNA content (mitochondrial). Results: Regarding adipogenic/lipid parameters, LTNPs had PPAR gamma, lipoprotein lipase, and fatty acid-binding protein 4 mRNA significantly decreased compared with UCs (P <= 0.001 for all comparisons). PPAR gamma mRNA was significantly greater in LTNP than in TP (P = 0.006). With respect to inflammatory parameters, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-18, and beta 2-MCG mRNA were significantly higher in LTNPs compared with UCs (P < 0.005 for all comparisons), whereas IL-18 mRNA was greater in TPs compared with LTNPs (P = 0.01). As mitochondrial parameters are concerned, mtDNA was significantly reduced in LTNPs compared with TPs (P - 0.04) and UCs (P - 0.03). COII and COIV were also significantly reduced in LTNPs compared with UCs and TPs. Conclusions: Adipose tissue from untreated LTNPs may have limited but significant derangements in some adipogenic/lipid and may have inflammatory processes at a lower degree than that observed in untreated TPs. LTNPs may have mitochondrial-related alterations in adipose tissue which are greater than that observed in TPs.
