Mitochondrial haplogroups N9 and G are associated with metabolic syndrome among HIV-infected patients in China.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence show that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variations have an important effect on metabolic disorders, but none study has been conducted in HIV-infected patients in Asia. We investigated the distribution of mtDNA haplogroups and their correlation with metabolic disorders in HIV-infected patients.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed among 296 Chinese HIV patients aged over 40 years from a prospective HIV cohort. The entire mtDNA sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using four overlapping pairs of primers that have been standardly used.

RESULTS: In this sample, mtDNA haplogroups B, D, M7, F were the most dominant haplogroups. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 36.1%, and was highest (77.8%) among those with haplogroup G and lowest (21.4%) among those with haplogroup M8. In multivariable analysis, haplogroups G and N9 were significantly associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 13.5, 95%CI: 1.9-94.7; aOR = 8.1, 95%CI: 1.8-36.1; respectively). Besides, patients with haplogroup G had increased odds of elevated HbA1c (aOR = 10.1, 95%CI: 1.4-71.1), patients with haplogroup N9 had increased odds of elevated TG (aOR = 13.5, 95%CI: 2.4-76.8). No significant association between mtDNA haplogroups and other metabolic syndrome components was observed.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrates the association between mtDNA haplogroups and metabolic syndrome in HIV-infected patients. The Asian specific mtDNA haplogroups G and N9 may confer higher risk for the development of metabolic syndrome in HIV-infected patients, which requires further longitudinal investigation.