Pilot Study on the Effect of Cocaine Use on the Intestinal Microbiome and Metabolome and Inflammation in HIV-Infected Adults in the Miami Adult Studies in HIV (MASH) Cohort (P13-027-19).

Abstract

Objectives\nDrug use disorders play a major role in the HIV epidemic, and survival rates of HIV infected drug users are significantly lower than non-users. Cocaine use, the most prevalent drug of abuse in Miami, Florida, has also been associated with a pro-inflammatory state and recently with imbalances in the intestinal microbiota as compared to cocaine non-use. Cocaine users have higher levels of inflammation, lower Healthy Eating Index scores, and lower food security, which may also reduce the diversity of the dietary intake affecting the exposure to different substrates on the gut microbiota. We hypothesize that the HIV-positive participants who use cocaine will have dysbiosis and that dysbiosis will be associated with food insecurity.\n\n\nMethods\nThe MASH cohort will be used as the recruitment source of participants for this study. This is a cross-sectional study that will include covariates such as dietary intake, food security, and sexual behavior that may also affect the intestinal microbiome; current published studies usually do not address these variables. Participants are eligible if they are HIV infected, cocaine users or non-users, 35-66\xa0years old, not diagnosed with HBV or HCV and are not on antibiotic treatment within 3 months of stool sample collection. Stool samples from one bowel movement will be collected using the Norgen Biotek kit and fasting blood plasma used from the MASH reservoir. Microbial DNA will be extracted using the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit and characterization of the intestinal bacterial composition will be completed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Over 200 molecules derived from bacterial metabolism will be available for analysis through non-targeted gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-based profiling using plasma. Interleukin 6, a measure of inflammation, will be determined using the Quantikine ELISA assay from R&D systems (Minneapolis, MN).\n\n\nResults\nN/A.\n\n\nConclusions\nUnderstanding key intestinal bacterial functional pathways that may be altered due to combined impact of cocaine use, HIV infection, and food insecurity will provide a better understanding of the relationships between the host intestinal microbiome and inflammation, and potentially provide novel treatments to improve the health of HIV infected substance users.\n\n\nFunding Sources\nFunded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1U01DA040381-03 and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 1U54MD012393-02.