Apoptosis in asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositives immunized with HIV-1 env glycoprotein (gp160): effects of administration of Zidovudine in vivo and interleukin-2 in vitro.
In this paper we report the effects of VaxSyn (Protein Sciences Corp.) immunization on spontaneous apoptosis occurring in vitro after culture of PBMC in medium alone in 30 HIV-seropositive patients enrolled in a double-blind clinical trial that included three groups: treatment with VaxSyn, AZT and VaxSyn, and AZT. Our data show no significant modifications in the levels of apoptosis observed in the three groups over the long-term follow-up (up to 720 days). This was not associated with any significant modifications in other clinical or immunological features. However, analysis of apoptosis performed shortly after the first immunization (at days 3 and 7) showed a significant reduction in the rate of apoptosis in patients receiving AZT and AZT and VaxSyn, as compared with patients receiving VaxSyn alone (30.42 +/- 2.52 SE at day 0 and 23.74 +/- 1.84 at day 3; p = 0.039). Our data also indicate that addition of IL-2 in vitro had a significant inhibitory effect on mortality in all the randomization groups, especially in those receiving AZT (alone or in combination with VaxSyn).
Pierdominici
M
M
University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. pandolfi@axrma.uniroma1.it
Mollicone
B
B
Ricci
G
G
Oliva
A
A
D'Offizi
G
G
Giovannetti
A
A
Aiuti
F
F
Pandolfi
F
F
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015215:Zidovudine