Monoclonal-oligoclonal immunoglobulins in HTLV III infected subjects: HTLV III-induced or HTLV III-associated?
Sera from 55 patients with positivity for anti-HTLV III antibodies, including 24 "healthy" subjects, 29 LAS and 2 AIDS, were examined by means of high resolution agarose gel electrophoresis and immunofixation, in order to evaluate the occurrence of monoclonal-oligoclonal immunoglobulin patterns. Monoclonal-oligoclonal immunoglobulins were found in 20.8% of "healthy" subjects and in 72.4% of LAS patients. Furthermore, a lower but significant prevalence of monoclonal-oligoclonal immunoglobulins was found in a control group including patients with high-titre positivity for anti-CMV and anti-EBV antibodies. Considering the consistent association between EBV-CMV and HTLV III infection, it is concluded that at least a part of monoclonal-oligoclonal immunoglobulins found in LAS-AIDS patients are likely to be induced by these associated viral infections. On the other hand, the finding of monoclonal-oligoclonal immunoglobulins in "healthy" HTLV III-positive subjects points out a possible direct stimulatory effect of HTLV III on B-cell lineage.
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000276:immunology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G