title: The uncoupled couple? Prolactin and CD4 lymphocytes in HIV infection.
abstract: The possible role of prolactin (PRL) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is unknown, despite the modulatory role of this hormone in humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Recent studies have evidenced: (a) intralymphocyte synthesis of dopamine (DA) which down-regulates their own proliferation and differentiation; (b) decreased DA but increased PRL concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of HIV-infected men; and (c) diminished hypothalamic DA tone in HIV-infected men. The present hypothesis proposes that, in HIV-infected men, a diminished generalized DA tone exists to stimulate human lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation at a maximum possible rate by: (1) decreasing the inhibitory influence of intralymphocyte DA; and (2) maintaining pituitary and extrapituitary (i.e. lymphocyte) PRL synthesis and release as high as possible. If this hypothesis is correct, it may have a potentially important therapeutic implication: the possibility to rebuild the battered immune system in HIV-infected patients from inside the body in a physiologic manner by the parenteral administration of recombinant human PRL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia, México City, Mexico. parral2@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Peredo
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D011388:Prolactin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011388:Prolactin; D004298:Dopamine