Background: Patients infected with HIV present with premature atherosclerosis, and the 2 diseases share common pathogenic pathways. We investigated mutations in the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and CCR-2 genes, which are known to control aspects of these pathways, to ascertain whether they are involved in atherogenesis in these patients.
Methods and results: We performed carotid and femoral artery ultrasonography to detect subclinical atherosclerosis in patients infected with HIV (n=183). MCP-1-2518G and CCR-2 64I polymorphisms were determined in the HIV group and in a population-based control group (n=348). We also determined MCP-1 circulating levels in the HIV group. The presence of MCP-1-2518G in the group of patients with subclinical atherosclerosis was significantly higher than in patients without atherosclerotic lesions (47.5% versus 18.2%, respectively; P<0.001). Furthermore, the patients with atherosclerotic lesions had higher MCP-1 plasma concentrations than did patients without lesions (74.15 [4.03] versus 57.81 [3.67] pg/mL, respectively; P=0.03). When adjusted for known cardiovascular risk factors, the MCP-1-2518G allele was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis (OR 5.72, 95% CI 1.74 to 18.80, P=0.004). Compared with measurements conducted approximately 2.5 years earlier in a subset of 40 patients, intima-media thickness (IMT) in the carotid artery progressed at a mean rate of 0.06 mm/y more rapidly in patients bearing the MCP-1-mutated allele (P=0.08).
Conclusions: HIV-infected patients with the MCP-1-2518G allele have a 5-fold increased risk for atherosclerosis, as assessed by ultrasonography.