Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40143377›Full record

ArticleViruses2025

HIV-Helminth Co-Infections and Immune Checkpoints: Implications for Cancer Risk in South Africa.

Botle Precious Damane, Thanyani Victor Mulaudzi, Sayed Shakeel Kader, Pragalathan Naidoo, Zodwa Dlamini, Zilungile Lynette Mkhize-Kwitshana

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Viruses, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Botle Precious DamaneDepartment of Surgery, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-3060-5572
Thanyani Victor MulaudziDepartment of Surgery, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-4071-3905
Sayed Shakeel KaderDepartment of Surgery, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-6216-5703
Pragalathan NaidooDepartment of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-8905-5926
Zodwa DlaminiSAMRC Precision Oncology Research Unit (PORU), DSTI/NRF SARChI Chair in Precision Oncology and Cancer Prevention (POCP), Pan Africa Cancer Research Institute (PACRI), University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-8012-3646
Zilungile Lynette Mkhize-KwitshanaDivision of Research Capacity Development, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-0373-9973

Funding

South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), National Research Foundation (NRF) and University of Pretoria UCDP HDID5149/KR/202, 23108 and 138139
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

South Africa has the highest HIV prevalence globally, often co-occurring with helminth infections in impoverished regions. The coexistence of these infections leads to immunological interactions, potentially enhancing oncogenesis by upregulating immune checkpoint molecules (ICs) among other effects. Notably, most ICs are overexpressed in cancer and correlated with its progression. Helminth infections trigger Th2-type immunity, increasing immunosuppressive M2 macrophages, regulatory T cells, and associated IC molecules. PD-L2 is reported to contribute to Th2-type immunity induced by helminth infections. Similarly, TIM-3, elevated during chronic viral infections, induces a similar immunosuppressive profile. CTLA-4 and PD-1 impact T-cell function by interacting with CD28, crucial for T-cell function. CD28 is downregulated in chronic infections and cancer. This study investigated the impact of HIV-helminth co-infection on co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecule profiles associated with antitumor immunity. Using 78 serum samples collected from March 2020 to May 2021, participants were categorized into uninfected control (no HIV and helminth infections), HIV-infected, helminth-infected, and HIV-helminth co-infected groups. Multiplex immune regulatory molecule assay analysis was conducted. The data were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis and adjusted for confounders (age, gender, BMI, ART, supplements, and other chronic diseases). The uninfected control group was used as the baseline reference group for analysis. HIV-infected individuals had higher PD-1 (adjusted β = 0.12,

Indexed as

CoinfectionHelminthiasisHIV InfectionsImmune Checkpoint ProteinsNeoplasmsAdultFemaleHepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2HumansMaleMiddle AgedProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorSouth AfricaHAVCR2 protein, humanHepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2Immune Checkpoint ProteinsPDCD1 protein, humanProgrammed Cell Death 1 Receptorantitumor immunity dysfunctionCD28 downregulationchronic infections and cancerHIV-helminth co-infectionimmune checkpoint moleculesimmunosuppressive microenvironmentPD-1 and TIM-3regulatory T cells (Tregs)Th2-type immunity

Identifiers

PMID40143377
PMCPMC11945842

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.