Alpha interferon treatment in HIV infected patients restores gamma interferon production in vitro.
We studied gamma interferon (IFN) production in vitro by lymphocytes from 5 patients with AIDS and 2 with advanced AIDS-related complex (ARC) before and during treatment with r-alpha 2a IFN at low doses, for up to 12 months. Patients were divided in responders (three) and non responders according to clinical data after six months of treatment. No immunological parameter was predictive of the clinical results. We found that subpopulations of T lymphocytes and lymphoproliferative response were not significantly modified in responders, while severely decreased in non responder patients. In 5/7 cases we observed a small but significant increase of gamma IFN production after six months of therapy, which rose to normal values after 12 months in responders.
Paganelli
R
R
Cattedra di Allergologia e Immunologia Clinica, Università La Sapienza, Roma.
Capobianchi
M R
MR
D'Offizi
G P
GP
Mezzaroma
I
I
Cherchi
M
M
Di Marco
P
P
Dianzani
F
F
Aiuti
F
F
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma