Open access · OA via Europe PMC

Opposite effects of chronic HIV infection and antiretroviral medication on organismal and organ-specific biological aging.

Zhang Y, Matzaraki V, Vadaq N, Blaauw MJT, Vos W, Groenendijk A, van Eekeren L, Stalenhoef J, Berrevoets MA, Rokx C, Delporte M, Otten T, Joosten LAB, Xu CJ, Li Y

Nature communications · 2026 · ▲ 1 citations

Epigenetic alterations Chronic inflammation

＋ Sign in to save

Abstract

People with HIV (PWH) on combination antiretroviral therapy have an elevated risk for aging-related non-AIDS comorbidities. We assess whether HIV infection accelerates biological aging in two independent cohorts of PWH using six organ-specific and three organism-wide aging clocks derived from plasma proteomics of healthy individuals. Proteomic age acceleration significantly correlates with DNA methylation age and is linked to comorbidities and mortality. HIV infection accelerates systemic biological aging, with Mendelian randomization demonstrating causality between organ aging and inflammatory or metabolic complications. Accelerated aging in PWH is further related to the total HIV reservoir, and specific antiretroviral drugs reduce age acceleration. These data reveal important causal effects between chronic HIV infection, antiretroviral medication, biological aging and age-associated diseases, highlighting targets for improving health span in PWH.

◌ CITATION ONLY
Full text is not openly licensed for redistribution here. Read it at the source:

Read at source →

Provenance

Source: Europe PMC
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69412-1
Canonical: link ↗
Fetched: 2026-07-01 MST

Cite this

APA

Y, Z., V, M., N, V., MJT, B., W, V., A, G., L, V.E., J, S., MA, B., C, R., M, D., T, O., LAB, J., CJ, X., Y, L., L, V., A, V.D.V., & MG., N. (2026). Opposite effects of chronic HIV infection and antiretroviral medication on organismal and organ-specific biological aging. <em>Nature communications</em>. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69412-1

Vancouver

Y Z, V M, N V, MJT B, W V, A G, et al. Opposite effects of chronic HIV infection and antiretroviral medication on organismal and organ-specific biological aging. Nature communications. 2026. doi:10.1038/s41467-026-69412-1.

BibTeX

@article{zhang2026Opposi, title = {Opposite effects of chronic HIV infection and antiretroviral medication on organismal and organ-specific biological aging.}, author = {Zhang Y and Matzaraki V and Vadaq N and Blaauw MJT and Vos W and Groenendijk A and van Eekeren L and Stalenhoef J and Berrevoets MA and Rokx C and Delporte M and Otten T and Joosten LAB and Xu CJ and Li Y and Vandekerckhove L and van der Ven A and Netea MG.}, journal = {Nature communications}, year = {2026}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-69412-1}, }