Diet compound may help repair gut damage in HIV ^{CEFR B2}

Researchers report a possible link between a diet-derived compound and repair of gut damage that can persist in people living with HIV. The problem matters because even when antiretroviral therapy suppresses the virus, damage to the intestinal lining can continue and drive chronic inflammation linked to other serious health problems. The study, published in JCI Insight and led by Namita Rout at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center, used nonhuman primates infected with SIV to model infection.

Scientists observed disruption in key immune cells that help protect and repair the gut lining, specifically gamma delta T cells and innate lymphoid cells. Normally these cells produce molecules that support communication between cells, protect the intestinal lining and aid tissue repair. In animals on therapy those protective responses were reduced and were linked to changes in proteins that direct the immune activity needed to maintain the gut barrier.

The team tested whether the pathway could be influenced by diet. A small group of animals received a broccoli-based supplement designed to raise exposure to dietary indoles, which occur naturally in mustard-family vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. After one month the animals showed signs consistent with improved gut barrier integrity and shifts in immune cell populations associated with mucosal repair. The authors caution that the findings do not prove such supplements are a treatment for people living with HIV: the study included a small number of animals, and further research is needed to confirm whether the same effects occur in humans, how long any benefits might last, and how they would translate to clinical care. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and by the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center base grant. Source: Tulane University