Neopterin estimation compared with the ratio of T-cell subpopulations in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1.
We measured neopterin, a biochemical indicator for the activation of cell-mediated immune reactions, in urines from 105 individuals at risk of infection with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), 83 of whom were seropositive for antibody to HIV-1. We compared absolute numbers of T-cell subsets (CD4+ helper/inducer T-cells, CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic T-cells), and the ratio of CD4+ T-cells to CD8+ T-cells with the urinary neopterin concentrations. Concentrations of neopterin in urine were inversely correlated with absolute numbers of CD4+ T-cells and with CD4+/CD8+ ratios in anti-HIV-1 seropositive subjects but not in those seronegative. Various statistical comparisons of the data further demonstrated that neopterin concentrations showed larger differences between anti-HIV-1 seronegative and seropositive subjects than absolute numbers of CD4+ T-cells or CD4+/CD8+ ratios. These results seem to indicate that neopterin concentrations increase earlier in the course of HIV-1 infection, before effects on T-cell subpopulations are detectable, and may further support the suggestion that neopterin measurement could be of use for monitoring infected subjects or predicting the progression of disease.
Fuchs
D
D
Institute of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Banekovich
M
M
Hausen
A
A
Hutterer
J
J
Reibnegger
G
G
Werner
E R
ER
Gschnait
F D
FD
Dierich
M P
MP
Wachter
H
H
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin