Beyond CD4+ Counts: Galectin-9 as a Superior Predictor of HIV Disease Progression

This study reveals plasma galectin-9 as a superior biomarker for predicting HIV/SIV disease progression compared to the traditional CD4+ T-cell count metric. Through comprehensive immune profiling of SIV-infected rhesus macaques, we demonstrated that galectin-9 strongly correlates with monocyte turnover rate (MTO)—a robust predictor of health decline in HIV/SIV infection. Remarkably, this correlation remained significant across acute, chronic, and late-stage infections with three different SIV strains and even in uninfected animals with variable MTO. While MTO analysis is complex and impractical for routine human monitoring, galectin-9 offers a simple blood test alternative that accurately predicts disease progression timing. This discovery represents a significant advance in HIV monitoring technology, potentially allowing clinicians to better anticipate disease progression and optimize treatment timing through a non-invasive blood test that also provides insights into tissue macrophage apoptosis.

Title: Plasma galectin-9 levels correlate with blood monocyte turnover and predict simian/human immunodeficiency virus disease progression

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41231-023-00160-w