title: Beta-endorphin content in HIV-infected HuT78 cell line and in peripheral lymphocytes from HIV-positive subjects.
abstract: We investigated beta-endorphin (BE) content in an HIV-infected cell line and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) from HIV-positive subjects. HIV infection increased BE content in HuT78 cell line compared to uninfected cells. Accordingly, BE content was greater in HIV-positive subjects than in healthy controls, both in fresh PBM and in mitogen-stimulated or unstimulated cultured cells. Further, in PHA-stimulated cultures, BE increase was correlated with disease progression. Opioids are known to decrease immune responsiveness in vivo, and it may be that the increased BE concentrations contribute to HIV-associated immune deficiency. In HIV-positive subjects, but not in healthy controls, intracellular BE concentration was positively correlated with PHA-induced PBM proliferation. The latter data suggest an alternative explanation: that the increased BE content represents a paradoxical response of the host in an attempt to balance virus-induced immunodepression. Thus, BE may be important in fine-tuning of the immune response with its up- and downregulation dependent upon differences in immune status.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Barcellini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sacerdote
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rizzardi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fain
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Giuli Morghen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Meroni
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Panerai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000502:physiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000097:blood; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001615:beta-Endorphin