title: In vitro production of type 1 and type 2 cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and Leishmania infantum.
abstract: To explore the type 1 and type 2 cytokine profile in cases coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Leishmania infantum, production of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) was investigated in mitogen-stimulated and unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures from eight HIV/Leishmania coinfected subjects matched with eight anti-HIV-positive subjects with no evidence of Leishmania coinfection. Levels of IL-4 and IL-2R increased significantly from the baseline levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell supernatants of HIV/Leishmania coinfected subjects following stimulation with phytohemoagglutin, whereas the postchallenge concentration of IFN-gamma was significantly increased in the HIV-infected group. The levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher in the HIV/Leishmania group throughout evaluation. Post-stimulation IFN-gamma production was significantly higher in the HIV-positive group in comparison with that of the HIV-Leishmania coinfected subjects. These observations support the notion that a Th2 cytokine response is present during a Leishmania infection, even among HIV-coinfected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infectious Diseases, Catania University, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cacopardo
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Preiser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Braner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cinatl
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Doerr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nunnari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis