Plasma levels of soluble CD14 and tumor necrosis factor-α type II receptor correlate with cognitive dysfunction during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

The relationship between monocyte immune responses and cognitive impairment during progressive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection was investigated in 28 subjects receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. The mean ± SEM CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count and virus load for all patients were 237 ± 41 cells/mm³ and 77,091 ± 195,372 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL, respectively. Levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor-α type II receptor (sTNF-RII) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) were measured in plasma by ELISA and were correlated with results from neuropsychological, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy tests. Plasma sCD14 and sTNF-RII levels were elevated in subjects with cognitive impairment and in those with brain atrophy. Furthermore, both factors were correlated with spectroscopic choline:creatine ratios. These findings support the idea that peripheral immune responses are linked to cognitive dysfunction during advanced HIV-1 disease.