PRODUCTION OF TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA (TNF-ALPHA) AND INTERLEUKIN-1 (IL-1) IN PATIENTS WITH AIDS - ENHANCED LEVEL OF TNF-ALPHA IS RELATED TO A HIGHER CYTO-TOXIC ACTIVITY

  • 1 December 1989
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 78  (3) , 329-333
Abstract
We measured simultaneously circulating and cell-generated TNF-.alpha. and IL-1 after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in HIV-infected individuals at different stages of infection, classified according to CDC classification. TNF-.alpha. production, both in vitro and endogenous in sera, remained at the normal level in group II patients but was significantly increased in most patients in group IV (P < 0.05). Most patients of group II and IV displayed normal level of IL-1 in their sera, whereas the level of this monokine generated in vitro was significantly reduced in both groups (P < 0.05). The cytotoxic effect of factor(s) secreted by PBMC from HIV-infected individuals was evaluated towards a fibroblast cell line L929. The higher titre of cytotoxicity was directly related to a higher production of TNF-.alpha. by the cells from group IV patients and the effect could be removed by pre-absorption with anti-TNF-.alpha. monoclonal antibody.