IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES IN AIDS

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1990. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES IN AIDS

Aids and Infections of Homosexual Men. Second Edition. Ma P and Armstrong D, eds. Boston, Butterworths, p. 383-90 1989.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/90659651
Fitzgerald-Bocarsly P; Lopez C; Siegal FP; Dept. of Pathology, Univ. of Medicine and Dentistry of New; Jersey, New Jersey Medical Sch., Newark, NJ

Abstract: AIDS is characterized by profound deficiencies in the immune system that lead to opportunistic infections (OIs) or neoplasms in affected individuals. Immunologic defects that have been described in AIDS are reviewed under the following headings: T-cell-mediated immunity, B-lymphocyte deficiencies, natural killer cells, interferon in AIDS, susceptibility to OIs in AIDS, and immunologic responses to HIV. Although one of the targets of HIV clearly is the T-helper cell, the virus also leads, either directly or indirectly, to profound deficiencies in humoral and natural immunity and can infect a variety of other cell types. Certain immune deficits, such as decreased T4 cells, clearly are a consequence of HIV infection and, together with deficient IFN-alpha production, are necessary prerequisites for the development of OIs. In contrast, other immune functions diminish rather late in the course of the disease and may not directly predispose the individual to OIs. A thorough understanding of how HIV interacts with the immune system and how (or if) some individuals successfully clear the virus are important areas requiring investigation. Also, the mechanism of HIV latency and the relative contribution of macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells as viral reservoirs and as targets for lytic infection are poorly understood and require further study. (36 Refs)

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*IMMUNOLOGY B-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY Cytotoxicity, Immunologic *Homosexuality Human HIV/*IMMUNOLOGY Interferons/BIOSYNTHESIS Killer Cells, Natural/IMMUNOLOGY Lymphocyte Transformation Male Opportunistic Infections/IMMUNOLOGY T-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY MONOGRAPH REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL
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M9040656

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