Serum concentrations of circulating endogenous granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in HIV-1-seropositive injecting drug users.
OBJECTIVE
We compared serum concentrations cytokines in seronegative and seropositive HIV-I intravenous drug abusers.


METHODS
The cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and the immune activation markers soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and neopterin were determined in sera of HIV-1-seropositive and HIV-1-seronegative injecting drug users (IDUs).


RESULTS
HIV-1-seropositive IDUs showed significantly lower serum concentrations of GM-CSF (p = 0.0064) and significantly higher concentrations of neopterin (p = 0.0005) than HIV-1-seronegative IDUs. All HIV-1-seropositive IDUs had neopterin levels above the normal range. Levels of TNF-alpha in HIV-1-seronegative IDUs did not differ from HIV-1-seropositive IDUs. Increased levels of IL-1 beta were found in 83.3% HIV-1-seronegative and in 94.4% HIV-1-seropositive IDUs with no significant difference between the two groups. An increase of serum levels of sIL-2R was found in 60% HIV-1-seronegative and in 63.6% HIV-1-seropositive IDUs. Again, no difference was found between the two groups. Neopterin concentrations correlated with TNF-alpha in HIV-1-seropositive as well as in HIV-1-seronegative IDUs, neopterin concentrations correlated with sIL-2R only in the HIV-1-seropositive IDUs. No correlations were found for GM-CSF.


CONCLUSIONS
An impaired production of GM-CSF may contribute to the loss of the myelopoetic progenitor cells and to the functional abnormalities of leukocytes associated with HIV-1 infection. Injecting drug use contributes to the levels of immune activation markers, therefore their use in HIV-1 infection may be limited in IDUs. However, neopterin remains a useful marker for HIV-1 infected IDUs.
Herold
M
M
University of Innsbruck, Department of Internal Medicine, Austria.
Meise
U
U
Günther
V
V
Rössler
H
H
Zangerle
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin
D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor