Effects of subcutaneous IL-2 therapy on telomere lengths in PBMC in HIV-infected patients.
In this study we investigated the effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on mean terminal restriction fragment (TRF) lengths in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Ten human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals were included and IL-2 was administered subcutaneously with 3 x 106 IU three times a week for 24 weeks. Mean TRF length was decreased on average by 267 bp at week 4 (P = 0.03) and 286 bp at week 8 (P = 0.09). Individual TRF changes at weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24 were highly variable. However, in the 12 weeks following therapy, TRF lengths generally increased reaching baseline levels by the end of the study. At baseline, mean TRF lengths were positively correlated to the ratio of naïve and memory phenotype within both CD4+ and CD8+ cells. This study shows that IL-2 treatment induces transient shortened mean TRF lengths in PBMC from HIV-infected individuals, indicating that IL-2 enhances the lymphocyte count by peripheral proliferation or recruitment of memory T cells into the blood.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Tagensvej 20, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark. infdisha@rh.dk
H
H
Aladdin
C S
CS
Larsen
P
P
Schjerling
B K
BK
Møller
M R
MR
Buhl
J
J
Gerstoft
B K
BK
Pedersen
H
H
Ullum
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016615:Telomere / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007376:Interleukin-2