Persistent immune complexes and abnormal CD4/CD8 ratios in HIV infection.
We assessed the immunopathologic role of circulating immune complexes in human immunodeficiency virus infection by evaluating the data base and the serum bank of the San Francisco Men's Health Study, a longitudinal clinical and epidemiological investigation conducted since 1983. A group of 4,276 sera from 1,023 (including 811 homosexual/bisexual) men were tested for circulating immune complexes. We used a modification of the commercially available enzyme immunoassay test, based on monoclonal anti-C1q antibodies coupled to the solid phase, for capturing circulating immune complexes from the test serum, followed by detection of circulating immune complexes with either anti-IgG or with anti-IgM probes. Although persistent IgM and IgG circulating immune complexes were most frequently encountered in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive homosexual/bisexual men, they were not an indicator of disease progression as assessed by abnormalities in the absolute numbers or ratios of CD4- and CD8-positive T cells, or clinical signs and symptoms of AIDS/ARC.
Roy
S
S
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Morrow
W J
WJ
Christian
C
C
Khayam-Bashi
H
H
Busch
M P
MP
McCarthy
R
R
Rodgers
R P
RP
Vyas
G N
GN
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001727:Bisexuality; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M