title: Close relationships between neopterin and beta-2-microglobulin levels in intravenous drug abusers.
abstract: Serum from 36 intravenous drug abusers without acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex were tested for concentrations of neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin. The seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody in this group was 50%. Previous studies of this group showed that the HIV antibody positive patients had significant increases in HLA-DR expression on peripheral blood lymphocytes and increases in serum soluble CD8 antigen. Both neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin concentrations were significantly higher in the HIV antibody seropositive patients compared to the seronegative patients (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). A highly significant positive correlation between neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin was found for the seropositive patients (r = 0.8879, p less than 0.0001) as well as for the entire group (r = 0.6054, p = 0.0002). Significant positive correlations were also found between neopterin or beta 2-microglobulin and the percent DR + T cells and CD8 antigen levels, although these correlations were not as significant as that observed between neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin. No relationships were found between neopterin or beta 2-microglobulin and total CD4 cell concentrations or CD4/CD8 ratios. These data demonstrate the significant interrelationships between various immune activation markers in a population at risk for developing AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Metropolitan Hospital, New York, N.Y.
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nygren
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valinsky
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Lorenzana
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ralph
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D019798:Neopterin; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin