Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The role of alpha interferon in the regulation of natural killer cell cytolytic activity in HIV-1 seropositive individuals.
Diss Abstr Int [B]; 52(7):3516 1992. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/93682456 Haberzettl CA; Rutgers, the State Univ. of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Abstract:
Spontaneous natural killer (NK) cell cytolytic activity is generally agreed to be decreased in full-blown AIDS patients (pts), but reports on the status of NK activity during the critical period prior to the development of full-blown AIDS are not in agreement. Our studies evaluated the quantitative and functional activity of NK cells in HIV-1-seropositive individuals at all stages of disease progression and investigated the role of alpha interferon (IFN) in regulating in vitro cytolytic activity of NK cells. Monoclonal antibodies Leu 7, Leu 19, Leu 11 and OKNK were simultaneously used to quantitate NK cells by flow cytometry. The NK cell cytolytic activity was evaluated using an in vitro 51Cr-release assay, and the activity/10(6) NK cells (as detected by each marker) was calculated. The absolute number of circulating NK cells and the cytolytic activity per 10(6) NK cells were both found to be significantly decreased in HIV-1-seropositive individuals at all stages of disease progression compared with uninfected controls. Alpha IFN production by cultured PBMC was found to be significantly decreased in HIV-1-seropositive individuals with CD4+ Th cells between 200 and 500 cells/mm3 compared with uninfected controls. However, in vitro addition of alpha IFN during the 51Cr-release assay enhanced NK cytolytic activity (approx 1.5-fold) in both HIV-1-seropositive individuals and uninfected controls. In contrast, in vitro production by cultured PBMC and plasma levels of gamma IFN were similar in HIV-1-seropositive individuals and uninfected controls. Our studies demonstrate that both overall and per cell NK cytolytic activity are significantly decreased in HIV-1-seropositive individuals at all stages of disease progression, compared with uninfected controls. This decrease in NK cytolytic activity could be restored in vitro by the addition of exogenous alpha IFN, which these pts are significantly less able to produce. Our studies indicate that exogenous alpha IFN has the potential to enhance NK cytolytic activity in HIV-1-seropositive individuals, which may be beneficial in controlling HIV-1 infection in these pts. (Full text available from University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI, as Order No. AAD92-00225).
Keywords: Antigens, Differentiation/ANALYSIS Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/*DRUG EFFECTS Human HIV Seropositivity/*IMMUNOLOGY/THERAPY Interferon-alpha/*PHARMACOLOGY/THERAPEUTIC USE Killer Cells, Natural/*IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY Leukocyte Count Leukocytes, Mononuclear/PATHOLOGY THESIS 930228
M9320875
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
