HIV infection, antiretroviral treatment, and fat: the complicated relationship

Since the beginning of HIV infection, there is a close but complicated relationship between the virus, antiretroviral treatment that controls HIV production, and fat tissue. Indeed, new antiretroviral drugs, integrase inhibitors, induce side effects characterized by fat and weight gain in HV-infected patients. I worked on how the virus, present inside the fat, and some treatment, that controls HIV production, impact the fat cells. These alterations disturb the whole tissue function that could promote weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes in HIV-infected subjects.