The prevalence of serum low free testosterone level in people living with HIV and its relationship to long-term complications

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K08847
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 54030:Infectious disease medicine-related
• Research Institution: Teikyo University
• Principal Investigator: Yoshino Yusuke 帝京大学, 医学部, 教授 (60624509)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: HIV / 性腺機能低下 / 遊離テストステロン / 長期合併症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

First, we evaluated the association between serum free testosterone levels (fTST), and lifestyle-related diseases and these markers such as HbA1c in 60 male HIV outpatients. More than half of the patients were diagnosed ad late-onset hypogonadism, and fTST was decreased with hypertension and/or high HbA1c, indicating that some lifestyle-related diseases may be caused by low fTST levels. At the same time, the relationship between HIV and fTST was evaluated by basic experiments.　The relationship between HIV drugs and fTST was examined, but none was evident. However, It was found that B-cell stimulating factor, which is thought to be increased in HIV-infected patients, stimulates the production of SHBG, which plays a role in reducing fTST, from hepatocyte HepG2 cells.

Free Research Field

感染症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、HIV感染者において発症が多く近年問題となっている長期合併症について、HIV感染者に多く認められる性腺機能低下がその発症のリスクを上昇させている可能性が明らかとなった。またその発症メカニズムは、HIV感染症に特異的なものである可能性が考えられた。以上より、HIV診療において、HIV感染患者のQOLを良好に保ち長期合併症を良好に管理するためには性腺機能低下の評価が重要であり、性腺機能低下へのアプローチが重要な鍵となる可能性を示す結果であった。本研究結果は今後のHIV診療に影響を及ぼす可能性があり、今後の研究次第では社会的に大きな意義を持つ研究の礎となると考えらた。