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.
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.
Aguilar
J J
JJ
Laboratoire de Chimie des Protéines, Institut de Recherches Scientifiques sur le Cancer (CNRS), Villejuif, France.
Macho
A
A
Semmel
M
M
Uriel
J
J
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins