title: Soluble factors inhibitory for T-cell-dependent immune responses in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome and its prodromes.
abstract: Supernatants from PBMC obtained from certain patients with AIDS or its prodrome were capable of depressing pokeweed mitogen-driven immunoglobulin production and the proliferative response of T cells to specific antigen. These soluble suppressor factors (SSF) were present in uniquely high concentrations, and were the product of an interaction of T lymphocytes with adherent cells. T-cell independent functions were not modified by soluble suppressor factors. Restoration of immunoglobulin synthesis in SSF-treated cultures was realized by addition of reducing agents such as 2-mercaptoethanol, suggesting inhibitory mechanisms possibly related to that of Con A-induced soluble immune response suppression, and perhaps offering clues to clinically applicable substances capable of modifying such responses. A relationship between SSF-AIDS and a human retrovirus LAV/HTLV III, linked etiologically to AIDS and its prodromes, is suggested by studies of SSF-like substances released by human T-T cell hybridomas derived from LAV+ patients.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2