title: Effect of interleukin (IL)-15 priming on IL-12 and interferon-gamma production by pathogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive and -seronegative donors.
abstract: Hypoproduction of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-gamma is thought to contribute to the impaired immunity seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons. The effects of priming with IL-15 on the production of IL-12 and IFN-gamma by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-seronegative and -seropositive donors were studied. Stimuli included 3 pathogens that commonly infect HIV-positive persons-Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis-plus Staphylococcus aureus. Following IL-15 priming of HIV-negative PBMC, pathogen-stimulated IL-12 and IFN-gamma production increased 5-58-fold. However, for the HIV-positive PBMC, IL-15 priming did not lead to significant increases in pathogen-stimulated IL-12 production and caused only modest increases in IFN-gamma production. These data suggest that IL-15 alone may be insufficient to correct the defect in IL-12 and IFN-gamma production in HIV-positive persons.
authors.affiliation: Evans Memorial Department of Clinical Research and Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118-2393, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Parayath
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Levitz
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D001782:Blood Donors; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D019409:Interleukin-15; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma