Quantification of alphafetoprotein (AFP) endocytosis by PHA-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-infected individuals. A useful test of predictive value for the progression of AIDS.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Microbiologia. 1991 Sep;7(2):98-105. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/92102616
Aguilar JJ; Macho A; Semmel M; Uriel J; Laboratoire de Chimie des Proteines, Institut de Recherches; Scientifiques sur le Cancer (CNRS), Villejuif, France.

Abstract: Serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) is actively taken up, through receptor-mediated endocytosis, by many embryo-fetal cells during ontogenic development but also by neoplastic cells, as well as by normal peripheral T lymphocytes after mitogenic activation. We have previously shown that the ability to internalize AFP is impaired in mitogen-activated T cells from several groups of (HIV+)-seropositive individuals and that this expression roughly correlates with the progression of the disease. It is not clear whether this impaired AFP-endocytosis results from an HIV-mediated inhibition of AFP-receptor expression or if it is the consequence of a target signal transduction impairment due to HIV-infection. In the present work we have explored both possibilities by studying AFP-endocytosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from seropositive (HIV+)-asymptomatic heterosexual individuals and in in vitro HIV-infected PBMC from healthy donors, either quiescent or stimulated with phytohemagglutin (PHA). Our results suggest that this novel abnormality of T-cells associated with HIV-infection reflects an unusual proliferative response of PBMC to mitogenic stimuli.

Keywords: alpha-Fetoproteins/*METABOLISM Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*IMMUNOLOGY Endocytosis/*PHYSIOLOGY Human HIV Infections/*COMPLICATIONS HIV Seropositivity/BLOOD/*METABOLISM Leukocytes, Mononuclear/DRUG EFFECTS/METABOLISM Lymphocyte Transformation/DRUG EFFECTS/*PHYSIOLOGY Phytohemagglutinins/METABOLISM Prognosis Sex Behavior Support, Non-U.S. Gov't T-Lymphocytes/DRUG EFFECTS/*METABOLISM Virus Replication/PHYSIOLOGY JOURNAL ARTICLE
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