Studies on trace element metabolism in HIV/AIDS disease in Nigeria

¹Ibeh Isaiah Nnanna , ²Abouo Andre and ¹Isitua Chinwe Christy

¹Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, P.M.B. 1154, Benin City,  Edo State, Nigeria.

²Department of Immunology and Biotechnology, Madonna University, Rivers State, Nigeria

Accepted 23^rd January, 2012

The biology of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) infection is not fully understood although it is widely accepted that a full understanding of the pathogenesis of the virus is important in devicing intervention tools for treatment or management of the infection. The focus of this study is the metabolism of trace elements, zinc, copper, iron and selenium during HIV infection. Blood obtained from 295 HIV sero-positive individuals attending clinics in Benin City metropolis and 50 healthy controls from the same community were analysed for zinc, iron, copper and selenium using an inductive coupled plasma spectrometry (wavelength: Cu = 324.754nm, Zn = 213.856nm, Fe = 238.204nm and Se = 196.090nm). The CD₄ cells of the samples were determined by flow cytometry (Cytoflow SL – S using CD₄/CD₄₅ monoclonal antibody and SSC/F₁₂ getting strategy).The mean serum zinc, copper, iron and selenium were 83.81±0.00, 0.94±0.05, 66.35±1.98 and 44.46±0.55mg/l for HIV infected persons and 96.72±0.01, 3.59±2.56, 72.25±1.25 and 89.93±5.26µg/l for the healthy control individuals. The mean CD₄ cells counts were 291.17±15.50 cells/µl for the HIV infected individuals and 1075.49±54.25 cells/µl for the healthy control individuals. There were significant decreases in zinc, iron, selenium in HIV infected group (P < 0.001) and CD₄ cells (P < 0.001) when compared with the control group. The decrease in these parameters tested was progressive with time because the 17 overt AIDS patients had lower values than the sero-positive HIV group. These findings suggest that zinc, iron and selenium are consumed during HIV progression to AIDS and are therefore, possible intervention tools in the cycle of this disease.

Keywords: Trace elements, HIV, infection, disease.

 

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