title: Decreased plasma membrane fluidity of peripheral blood lymphocytes after diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) therapy in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: In seeking the putative mechanism of action of diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) on the immune status of HIV infected patients, the plasma membrane fluidity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from DTC-treated and untreated patients (CDC III-IVc1) was determined. Anisotropy values of the fluorescent probe 6-(9-anthroyloxy) stearic acid were increased in DTC-treated patients (0.175 vs 0.161), indicating decreased PBL plasma membrane fluidity. The membrane rigidifying effect was significantly greater 4 h after i.v. drug administration (0.185 in treated patients). As the membrane fluidity and the function of membrane embedded antigen are interdependent, it is possible that alterations in biophysical and/or biochemical properties of membranes may account for the beneficial effect of DTC on the immune function and clinical status of HIV infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Lehr
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hübner
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Reisinger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kohlschütter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Claussen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dietrich
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D004050:Ditiocarb / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013229:Stearic Acids
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013229:Stearic Acids; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; C030310:12-(9-anthroyl)stearic acid; D004050:Ditiocarb