title: Impaired interleukin 12 production in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, asymptomatic or with acquired immunodeficiency virus, produced 10-fold less interleukin 12 (IL-12) free heavy chain and fivefold less biologically active IL-12 heterodimer than PBMC from uninfected healthy donors when challenged in vitro with the common human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, PBMC from HIV-infected individuals and uninfected control donors produced similar levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-10, and PBMC from HIV-infected individuals produced three- to fourfold more IL-6 compared with PBMC from uninfected control donors. The defect in IL-12 production is not due to hyperproduction of IL-10, a cytokine exerting an autocrine-negative feedback on IL-12 production, but was directly related to HIV infection, as suggested by the reduced ability of monocytes infected in vitro with HIV to produce IL-12. IL-12 deficiency may be an important component of the immunodeficiency associated with HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chehimi
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: MacGregor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sennelier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trinchieri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D018664:Interleukin-12