title: Serum interleukin-6 concentrations are elevated and associated with elevated tumor necrosis factor-alpha and immunoglobulin G and A concentrations in children with HIV infection.
abstract: Hypergammaglobulinemia is one of the most consistent, and usually the first observable abnormality in infants vertically infected with HIV. We have analyzed serum interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations in 23 HIV-infected and 21 uninfected children. IL-6 and TNF-alpha concentrations in HIV-infected children were significantly higher than those in uninfected children, and mutually correlated. No differences in serum IL-4 levels between infected and uninfected children were observed. There was a correlation between serum IL-6 and IgG and between IL-6 and IgA concentrations. Furthermore, during follow-up changes in IL-6 levels were usually accompanied by corresponding changes in IgG levels. Our data indicate an association between HIV, IL-6, TNF-alpha and hypergammaglobulinemia. Regardless of the source and initial stimulus, continued production of IL-6 and TNF-alpha may result in augmentation in an auto-feedback manner, accompanied by increases in Ig synthesis and, more importantly, HIV replication. Thus, elucidation of the mechanisms responsible for overproduction of these two cytokines in HIV-infected patients is not only interesting from a biologic point of view, but is likely to have important clinical implications as well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0544.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rautonen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rautonen
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wara
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism*; D007223:Infant; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4