AEGiS-11IAC: Host immunity but not HIV-1 type is a major cofactor for HIV infection in Africa.

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Host immunity but not HIV-1 type is a major cofactor for HIV infection in Africa.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:214 (abstract no. Th.A.165)
Kalinkovich A, Weisman Z, Nahmias J, Idelevitch P, Novick D, Rubinstein M, Moroz C, Bentwich Z; Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel. Fax: 972-8-9410461.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the immune profile in Ethiopian immigrants in Israel infected with African subtype C of HIV-1 in comparison with Israelis infected with North American subtype B and with non infected Ethiopian and Israeli controls. Study: Immune activation markers, apoptosis, cytokine profile and parasitic infections were determined in all studied groups.

RESULTS: An extremely high rate of helminth infections was present in all recent immigrants and absent in the Israeli controls. This was accompanied with wide immune activation in the HIV seronegative Ethiopians and characterized by: a) increased secretion of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR) from mitogen stimulated PBMC; b) elevated serum IgE, placental isoferritin (a sensitive CD4+ lymphocyte activation product), sTNFR and soluble IFNalpha/beta receptor; c) highly increased number of activated CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes, and of apoptotic lymphocytes. Following immigration and eradication of the helminth infections, this activation profile reverted in part to normal levels of Israeli controls. In the Ethiopian and Israeli HIV seropositive groups however, a marked change in this activation was found with a very similar profile in both groups, though increased IL-4 secretion and blood IgE and eosinophilia were still higher in Ethiopians.

CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate: a) Difference in HIV-1 subtypes does not influence the immune activation profile. b) The immune system is highly activated in the recent HIV seronegative Ethiopian immigrants and has the features of a T0/T2 type. c) This activation profile is related to chronic helminth infections and may play a major role in increased susceptibility to HIV infection in Africa. d) Preexisting chronic immune activation should be considered in any HIV vaccine development in Africa and other developing countries.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV-1, HIV Infections, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Seronegativity, Cytokines, Immunity, Helminthiasis, AIDS Vaccines, Interleukin-4, Lymphocyte Activation, Interleukin-10, Africa, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Ethiopia, Israel, immunology, ICA11

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