Plasma Sclerostin in HIV-Infected Adults on Effective Antiretroviral Therapy

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2015 Jul;31(7):731-8. doi: 10.1089/AID.2015.0052. Epub 2015 May 27.

Abstract

Sclerostin is linked to bone physiology and cardiovascular disease through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The goal of this study was to determine if sclerostin is related to bone physiology and cardiovascular disease during antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected persons. This was a cross-sectional analysis from study entry into the Stopping Atherosclerosis and Treating Unhealthy bone with RosuvastatiN in HIV (SATURN) trial, an ongoing randomized trial comparing rosuvastatin to placebo in HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy. Plasma sclerostin was measured at study entry by ELISA from participants with available samples. Spearman correlation and multivariable linear regression were used to test relationships between sclerostin and bone density or bone turnover and cardiovascular disease. Among 139 HIV-infected participants (median age 46 years, CD4 lymphocyte count 614 cells/μl), the median plasma sclerostin level was 444.1 (IQR 330.3, 570.1) pg/ml. Correlations were detected between sclerostin and age (r=0.26), lumbar spine Z-score (r=0.31), RANKL (r=-0.21), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT, r=0.19), and sVCAM-1 (r=0.27), p<0.05. No significant correlations were detected between sclerostin and current (r=0.006) or nadir CD4 count (r=0.11). While associations between sclerostin, lumbar spine Z-score, and sVCAM-1 were robust to covariate adjustment (p<0.01), association with CIMT was no longer significant (p=0.08). Our findings provide preliminary support for a relationship between sclerostin and bone mineral density in HIV-infected persons. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway should be investigated as a potential mechanism for loss of bone mineral density in treated HIV infection.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Adult
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / adverse effects
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods*
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / blood*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Genetic Markers
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Placebos / administration & dosage
  • Plasma / chemistry*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
  • Genetic Markers
  • Placebos
  • SOST protein, human