Background: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) is a gram-negative bacterium with a lipooligosaccharides (LOS)-based cell membrane. LOS is considered to supress HIV-1 replication by downregulating NF-κB, IRF3, and IFN-β. The aim of the study: To explore the effect of N. gonorrhoeae LOS on HIV replication in lymphocytes of naive HIV patients, as indicated by NF-κB, IRF3, and IFN-β expressions. Materials and methods: Naïve-HIV lymphocyte culture was divided into 5 groups. The treatment groups were exposed to N. gonorrhoeae LOS with doses ranging from 50 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, and 200 ng/ml, respectively. The positive control group was exposed to 300 µM of tenofovir as the standard antiviral treatment, while the negative control group received only standard medium. At 24 hours post-treatment, the level of HIV p24 was determined using ELISA and the expressions of NF-κB, IRF3, and IFN-β was measured by flowcytometry. Results: The mean expression of NF-κB and IRF3 were significantly different among groups (p=0.025; p=0.020), while the expression of IFN-β and the level of p24 did not differ significantly (p=0.051; p=0.068). There was a strong and significant positive correlation between LOS concentration and NF-κB and IRF3 expression (r=0.704, p=0.003; r=0.759, p=0.001;). Conclusion: Exposure of lymphocytes from a naïve HIV patient to N. gonorrhoeae LOS significantly affected the expression of NF-κB and IRF-3.
Background: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) is a gram-negative bacterium with a lipooligosaccharides (LOS)-based cell membrane. LOS is considered to supress HIV-1 replication by downregulating NF-κB, IRF3, and IFN-β. The aim of the study: To explore the effect of N. gonorrhoeae LOS on HIV replication in lymphocytes of naive HIV patients, as indicated by NF-κB, IRF3, and IFN-β expressions. Materials and methods: Naïve-HIV lymphocyte culture was divided into 5 groups. The treatment groups were exposed to N. gonorrhoeae LOS with doses ranging from 50 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, and 200 ng/ml, respectively. The positive control group was exposed to 300 µM of tenofovir as the standard antiviral treatment, while the negative control group received only standard medium. At 24 hours post-treatment, the level of HIV p24 was determined using ELISA and the expressions of NF-κB, IRF3, and IFN-β was measured by flowcytometry. Results: The mean expression of NF-κB and IRF3 were significantly different among groups (p=0.025; p=0.020), while the expression of IFN-β and the level of p24 did not differ significantly (p=0.051; p=0.068). There was a strong and significant positive correlation between LOS concentration and NF-κB and IRF3 expression (r=0.704, p=0.003; r=0.759, p=0.001;). Conclusion: Exposure of lymphocytes from a naïve HIV patient to N. gonorrhoeae LOS significantly affected the expression of NF-κB and IRF-3.
The authors would like to acknowledge the Laboratory of Central Biomedic at the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, as well as the Stem Cell Research and Development Centre and the Institute of Tropical Diseases at Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia, for facilitating this research