Network-based multi-omics integration reveals metabolic at-risk profile within treated HIV-infection.

Multiomics technologies improve the biological understanding of health status in people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (PLWH). Still, a systematic and in-depth characterization of metabolic risk profile during successful long-term treatment is lacking. Here, we used multi-omics (plasma lipidomic, metabolomic, and fecal 16S microbiome) data-driven stratification and characterization to identify the metabolic at-risk profile within PLWH. Through network analysis and similarity network fusion (SNF), we identified three groups of PLWH (SNF-1 to 3): healthy (HC)-like (SNF-1), mild at-risk (SNF-3), and severe at-risk (SNF-2). The PLWH in the SNF-2 (45%) had a severe at-risk metabolic profile with increased visceral adipose tissue, BMI, higher incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and increased di- and triglycerides despite having higher CD4 + T-cell counts than the other two clusters. However, the HC-like and the severe at-risk group had a similar metabolic profile differing from HIV-negative controls (HNC), with dysregulation of amino acid metabolism. At the microbiome profile, the HC-like group had a lower α-diversity, a lower proportion of men having sex with men (MSM) and was enriched in Bacteroides. In contrast, in at-risk groups, there was an increase in Prevotella , with a high proportion of MSM, which could potentially lead to higher systemic inflammation and increased cardiometabolic risk profile. The multi-omics integrative analysis also revealed a complex microbial interplay of the microbiome-derived metabolites in PLWH. Those severely at-risk clusters may benefit from personalized medicine and lifestyle intervention to improve their dysregulated metabolic traits, aiming to achieve healthier aging.