Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand Vol 95, No 5:MAY 2012 (SUPPL. 5) 0125-2208 95 5 2012 May Cytokine Profiles in HIV-1 Subtype CRF01_AE Infected Individuals with Different Rates of Diseases Progression: A Multiplex Immunoassay 116 EN Thippawan Chuenchitra Pittapun Chaitaveep Suchitra Sukwit Sukchai Dettrairat Sutchana Tabprasit Surangrat Srisurapanon Surapol Kohreanudom Dolnapat Kuvanont Ruengpung Sutthent Narongrid Sirisopana Sorachai Nitayaphan Original Article Cytokines play an important role in controlling the homeostasis of the immune system and contribute to the pathogenesis of HIV infection. The measurement soluble cytokines in plasma of HIV-1 infected individuals with different rates of disease progression may provide additional information to complement prognostic markers and understand disease process. The aim of the present study was to determine the cytokine profiles in plasma of Thai HIV-1 CRF01_AE infected individuals with different rates of disease progression by using a multiplex system for simultaneous detection of 7 cytokines. The authors used a multiplex immunoassay method to measure 7 cytokines (IL 2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-15 and IFN-gamma) in plasma of 23 progressors (PRs; symptomatic or AIDS within 5 years and CD4+ < 200/mm3), 23 slower progressors (SPs; asymptomatic more than 5 years and CD4+ > 350/mm3) and 23 normal healthy individuals. Both PRs and SPs demonstrated significantly higher levels of IL-7, IL-10 and IFN gamma than healthy controls (p < 0.05). No significant difference in IL-6 between SPs and healthy controls but significant difference between RPs and controls were found. Furthermore, PRs showed significantly higher levels of plasma IL-6 (p = 0.001), IL-7 (p = 0.016), IL-10 (p < 0.001) and IFN-gamma (p = 0.026) than SPs. No significant difference in IL-2, IL-4 and IL-15 was found among 3 groups (PRs, SPs and healthy control). These results suggested that a Th1 to Th2 cytokine switch did not occur. However, the measurements of plasma levels of cytokines could be used for predicting disease progression. Cytokine profiles HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE Disease progression Multiplex immunoassay