title: Interleukin-12 (IL-12) production in whole blood cultures from human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals studied in relation to IL-10 and prostaglandin E2 production.
abstract: The role of interleukin-12 (IL-12) in Th1 cell differentiation is well established. The heterodimer p70, composed of a p40 and a p35 chain, is the biologically active form. IL-12 production by human monocytes is enhanced by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and inhibited by IL-10 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals reportedly have impaired IL-12 p40 and p70 production on stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) in vitro. Both PGE2 and IL-10 previously were proposed to be instrumental in this defect in IL-12 production. Here, we studied IL-12 p40 and p70 production in relation to IL-10 and PGE2 production in whole blood cultures from HIV-infected individuals. On stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, IL-12 production was normal. However, on stimulation with SAC, IL-12 p40 and p70 production was decreased in HIV-infected individuals and correlated significantly with decreased peripheral blood CD4+ T-cell number and T-cell reactivity to CD3 monoclonal antibody in vitro. However, IL-10 and PGE2 production in cultures from HIV-infected individuals was normal and did not relate to IL-12 production. In conclusion, IL-12 production by cells from HIV-infected individuals is impaired under certain conditions in vitro and this decrease is independent of IL-10 or PGE2 production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Viro-Immunology, Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meyaard
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hovenkamp
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pakker
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: van der Pouw Kraan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miedema
mesh_terms: D001773:Blood Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015232:Dinoprostone