Sera from AIDS patients inhibit the responsiveness of normal lymphocytes in allogeneic and autologous mixed lymphocyte cultures.
We analyzed the effects of 10 sera from patients with AIDS on the responsiveness of normal lymphocytes in allogeneic and autologous mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLR and AMLR). Results show that all AIDS sera significantly inhibit lymphocyte responsiveness in either MLR or AMLR of non-T/T and T/T type. Experiments performed to asses the effects of heat inactivated sera or sera fractions (obtained by ultracentrifugation on membranes with predetermined pore diameters) on either stimulator or responder cells, showed that the suppressive effects are attributable to heat stable factors with a wide range of molecular weights that act mainly on responder T cells. Present data suggest that circulating factors with inhibitory effects on MLR and AMLR responses can be found in AIDS sera. These factors might contribute to the immunosuppression of AIDS patients.
Puppo
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F
Istituto Scientifico di Medicina Interna, Università di Genova, Italy.
Stagnaro
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R
Ruzzenenti
R
R
Indiveri
F
F
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male