Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38395987›Full record

ArticleVirology journal2024

A pilot investigation of the association between HIV-1 Vpr amino acid sequence diversity and the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway as a potential mechanism for neurocognitive impairment.

Levanco Keegan Asia, Esmé Jansen Van Vuren, Zander Lindeque, Monray Edward Williams

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Virology journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Exploratory Cohort Study of Depressive Symptoms in South Africans with HIV-1 Subtype C: Associations with Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites and Inflammatory Markers.Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Observational
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Levanco Keegan AsiaHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Esmé Jansen Van VurenHypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Zander LindequeHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Monray Edward WilliamsHuman Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Monray.Williams@nwu.ac.za.
North-West University · ZA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

HIV infection compromises both the peripheral and central immune systems due to its pathogenic and neuropathogenic features. The mechanisms driving HIV-1 pathogenesis and neuropathogenesis involve a series of events, including metabolic dysregulation. Furthermore, HIV-subtype-specific variations, particularly alterations in the amino acid sequences of key viral proteins, are known to influence the severity of clinical outcomes in people living with HIV. However, the impact of amino acid sequence variations in specific viral proteins, such as Viral protein R (Vpr), on metabolites within the Tryptophan (Trp)-kynurenine (Kyn) pathway in people living with HIV remains unclear. Our research aimed to explore the relationship between variations in the Vpr amino acid sequence (specifically at positions 22, 41, 45, and 55, as these have been previously linked to neurocognitive function) and peripheral Trp-Kyn metabolites. Additionally, we sought to clarify the systems biology of Vpr sequence variation by examining the link between Trp-Kyn metabolism and peripheral inflammation, as a neuropathogenic mechanism. In this preliminary study, we analyzed a unique cohort of thirty-two (n = 32) South African cART naïve people living with HIV. We employed Sanger sequencing to ascertain blood-derived Vpr amino acid sequence variations and a targeted LC-MS/MS metabolomics platform to assess Trp-Kyn metabolites, such as Trp, Kyn, kynurenic acid (KA), and quinolinic acid (QUIN). Particle-enhanced turbidimetric assay and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure immune markers, hsCRP, IL-6, suPAR, NGAL and sCD163. After applying Bonferroni corrections (p =.05/3) and adjusting for covariates (age and sex), only the Vpr G41 and A55 groups was nearing significance for higher levels of QUIN compared to the Vpr S41 and T55 groups, respectively (all p =.023). Multiple regression results revealed that Vpr amino acid variations at position 41 (adj R

Indexed as

Gene Products, vprHIV-1HIV InfectionsHIV SeropositivityAmino Acid SequenceChromatography, LiquidHumansInflammationKynureninePilot ProjectsReceptors, Urokinase Plasminogen ActivatorTandem Mass SpectrometryTryptophanGene Products, vprKynurenineReceptors, Urokinase Plasminogen ActivatorTryptophanInflammationMetabolismNeuropathogenesisPathogenesisTryptophan-Kynurenine pathway

Identifiers

PMID38395987
PMCPMC10893664
OpenAlexW4392092399

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.