Synthesis of IFN-gamma by CD8(+) T cells is preserved in HIV-infected women with HPV-related cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate whether coinfection with HIV affects the synthesis of Th1 and Th2 cytokines by peripheral blood T cells of women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV).


METHODS
Cervical swabs and peripheral blood were obtained from women referred for colposcopy. HPV DNA by Digene's hybrid capture assay, HIV RNA by Roche's Amplicor assay, and cytokine synthesis of T-cell subsets by flow cytometry were assessed. HPV-associated cervical and HIV-associated immune deficiency diseases were staged using the Bethesda System and the Centers for Disease Control criteria, respectively.


RESULTS
Patients with HIV and/or HPV infections had lower percentages of IL-2(+) and higher percentages of IL-10(+) T cells than healthy women. Furthermore, women with both virus infections (HIV(+)/HPV(+)) had significantly fewer IL-2(+) CD4(+), IFN-gamma(+) CD4(+), and TNF-alpha(+) CD4(+) T cells than women with HPV infection alone (HPV(+)). Whereas HIV(+) and healthy women had similar numbers of IFN-gamma(+) CD8(+) T cells, HPV(+) women had significantly fewer IFN-gamma(+) CD8(+) T cells than healthy women.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV infection adversely affects the synthesis of Th1 cytokines by CD4(+), but not IFN-gamma synthesis by CD8(+) T cells of women with active HPV infection. The increase in IFNgamma(+) CD8(+) T cells, a phenotype consistent with cytotoxic T lymphocytes, may account for the stable HIV disease of the women studied. However, the increase in IFN-gamma(+) CD8(+) T cells is less likely to be HPV-specific as there was a higher incidence of HPV-related cervical SIL in HIV(+)/HPV(+) women compared with HPV(+) women.
Lee
B N
BN
Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Follen
M
M
Tortolero-Luna
G
G
Eriksen
N
N
Helfgott
A
A
Hammill
H
H
Shearer
W T
WT
Reuben
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate