HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 triggers a Th2 response in mice that shifts to Th1 in the presence of human growth hormone.
Immunization of mice with HIV-1-gp120 results in predominant activation of the Th2 lymphocyte subset, leading to enhanced IL-4 production. Administration of human growth hormone at the time of gp120 immunization provokes a change in the cytokine production pattern, with lower IL-4 and higher gamma-IFN and IL-2 synthesis levels, indicating a preferential switch in stimulation from Th2 to Th1 cells. A growth hormone would thus be of great use for pharmacological intervention in those cases in which an infectious microorganism evades immune defenses by provoking a Th2 response. In addition, the ability of growth hormone to induce a Th1-type response upon vaccination with an HIV-antigen should be examined in the development of new therapeutic strategies or in the design of novel vaccines against HIV infection.
Department of Immunology and Oncology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
M
M
Mellado
M
M
Llorente
J M
JM
Rodríguez-Frade
P
P
Lucas
C
C
Martínez
G
G
del Real
D000818:Animals; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000276:immunology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007114:Immunization; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D018417:Th1 Cells; D018418:Th2 Cells
D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D015847:Interleukin-4