Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1983. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Immunological studies of homosexual men with immunodeficiency and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1983 Jun;27(3):300-14. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/83260065 Schroff RW; Gottlieb MS; Prince HE; Chai LL; Fahey JL
Abstract:
Acquired immunodeficiency and Kaposi's sarcoma are epidemic among homosexual men in the United States. We have identified three clinically distinct disease syndromes in homosexually active men: a syndrome of severe cellular immunodeficiency including infection with Pneumocystis carinii and other opportunistic pathogens, a syndrome of chronic benign lymphadenopathy without severe opportunistic infections, and Kaposi's sarcoma. All 46 patients which we have studied with these three disease syndromes shared a common immune abnormality, that being a reduction in the circulating T-lymphocyte subpopulation bearing the Leu-3/OKT-4 antigen. The second major T-lymphocyte subpopulation, which bears the Leu-2/OKT-8 antigen, was numerically normal in all the disease syndromes, but increased as a percentage of all circulating lymphocytes. These abnormalities resulted in an inversion of the normal ratio of these two lymphocyte subpopulations. A similar, but less pronounced imbalance in circulating T-lymphocyte subpopulations was observed in a group of healthy homosexual men. The immune deficiency in these patients was most evident in the T-cell component of the immune system. Percentages of B cells, circulating immunoglobulin levels, and natural killer (NK) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytoxic (ADCC) functions were normal. Proliferative responses to antigen and mitogen were typically decreased in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and some Kaposi's sarcoma patients, but not those with the prolonged lymphadenopathy syndrome or a control group of healthy homosexual men. Possible causes or factors contributing to the immunodeficiency and interrelationships among the three disease manifestations are discussed.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS/*IMMUNOLOGY Adult Aged Animal Antibodies, Monoclonal/IMMUNOLOGY B-Lymphocytes Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/ANALYSIS *Homosexuality Human Immunoglobulins/ANALYSIS Leukocyte Count Lymphatic Diseases/COMPLICATIONS/IMMUNOLOGY Lymphocyte Transformation Male Mice Middle Age Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/COMPLICATIONS/IMMUNOLOGY Sarcoma, Kaposi's/COMPLICATIONS/*IMMUNOLOGY Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. T-Lymphocytes/*CLASSIFICATION/IMMUNOLOGY JOURNAL ARTICLE
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1983. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
