title: Monocytotoxic antibodies in HIV-infected persons. TNF-alpha treatment of U937 cells increases the complement dependent cytotoxicity.
abstract: Sera of 40 intravenous drug addicts were tested for the presence of cytotoxic antibodies against uninfected and HIV-infected monocytic U937 cells. Twelve out of 31 seropositive samples proved to be cytotoxic for HIV-infected, untreated target cells in the presence of complement. The TNF-alpha treatment of HIV-infected U937 cells increased the detectability of cytotoxic effect of sera (21/31). The complement dependent cytotoxic activity of sera was reduced by pretreatment with recombinant HIV gp120. This reduction proved to be dose-dependent in the majority of cases. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that the cytotoxic sera interacted with antigens mostly localized on the cell membrane of HIV-infected TNF-alpha treated U937 cells. The specificity, the possible role and origin of monocytotoxic antibodies in HIV-infected persons is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University Medical School, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Locardi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lo Presti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benedetto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Belardelli
mesh_terms: D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002460:Cell Line; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003165:Complement System Proteins