Effects of HIV infection and opioids on gut microbiota

Opioid use is associated with worse outcome in HIV-infected patients. The exacerbated disease progression by opioids is mainly driven by increased epithelial damage and less regenerative response. The present study investigates how opioids potentiate HIV disease progression by impairing intestinal epithelial self-repair. Abnormal intestinal morphology and reduced epithelial proliferation were observed in HIV-infected humanized mice, which were exposed to opioids. For this study, we had 4 groups of BLT humanized mice- (A) Untreated, (B) Morphine treated, (C) HIV infected and (D) HIV infected + Morphine treated. HIV infection was done for 4 weeks and Morphine treatment was done for 7 days. Morphine treatment was done via subcutaneous implantation of slow-release morphine pellet in individual mouse in the appropriate groups. In other groups, a matching Placebo pellet was implanted.

阿片类药物使用与HIV感染患者的不良预后显著相关。阿片类药物介导的疾病进展加剧效应，主要由上皮损伤加重及上皮再生应答减弱所驱动。本研究旨在探究阿片类药物如何通过损伤肠上皮自我修复功能，进而促进HIV疾病进展。
研究人员在暴露于阿片类药物的HIV感染BLT人源化小鼠（Bone marrow-liver-thymus人源化小鼠）模型中，观察到肠道形态异常及上皮增殖能力下降。本实验共设置4组BLT人源化小鼠：(A) 未处理对照组、(B) 吗啡处理组、(C) HIV感染组及(D) HIV感染+吗啡共处理组。实验中，HIV感染造模周期为4周，吗啡处理周期为7天。吗啡处理通过向对应组别小鼠皮下植入缓释吗啡植入丸（slow-release morphine pellet）实现，其余对照组则植入匹配的安慰剂植入丸（Placebo pellet）。