Avaliação da genotoxicidade espermática em pacientes HIV/AIDS usuários de terapia antirretroviral de alta potência

Abstract

The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. Despite all the benefits provided by the viral suppression therapy, some diseases such as lipodystrophy, heart diseases and infertility increased their prevalence. In patients with AIDS, viral load and anti-retroviral therapy are possible agents for genotoxicity. The World Health Organization guidelines are reference for semen analysis and sperm DNA integrity has been proposed as an additionalparameter for semen quality and a potential predictor of fertility. The alkaline comet assay has the potential to detect genotoxic human germ cells and can be used to demonstrate the ability of a substance or metabolite to interact directly with the genetic material of gonadal cells. The study has included 50 patients with AIDS treated at the Outpatient Center for Infectious Diseases and at the University of Caxias do Sul Clinical Center, evaluated as two groups: one treated with anti-retroviral therapy and the other was a naive group. Semen and sperm genotoxicity were analysed by alkaline comet assay, comparing CD4 cell count, viral load, age and other factors of potential genotoxicity between the two groups. Data showed that the use of any anti-retroviral class has reduced sperm genotoxicity. This study shows that the alkaline comet assay is a eficcientmethod to measure sperm genotoxicity in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.