Stressful events, pessimism, natural killer cell cytotoxicity, and cytotoxic/suppressor T cells in HIV+ black women at risk for cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines whether stressful negative life events and pessimism were associated with lower natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) and T cytotoxic/suppressor cell (CD8+CD3+) percentage in black women co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 (HIV-1) and human papillomavirus (HPV), a viral initiator of cervical cancer.


METHODS
Psychosocial interviews, immunological evaluations, and cervical swabs for HPV detection and subtyping were conducted on 36 HIV+ African-American, Haitian, and Caribbean women.


RESULTS
Greater pessimism was related to lower NKCC and cytotoxic/suppressor cells after controlling for presence/absence of HPV Types 16 or 18, behavioral/lifestyle factors, and subjective impact of negative life events.


CONCLUSIONS
A pessimistic attitude may be associated with immune decrements, and possibly poorer control over HPV infection and increased risk for future promotion of cervical dysplasia to invasive cervical cancer in HIV+ minority women co-infected with HPV.
Byrnes
D M
DM
Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124, USA.
Antoni
M H
MH
Goodkin
K
K
Efantis-Potter
J
J
Asthana
D
D
Simon
T
T
Munajj
J
J
Ironson
G
G
Fletcher
M A
MA
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D044383:Black People; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008016:Life Change Events; D008019:Life Style; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012718:Set, Psychology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology*