title: Suppression of beta 2 microglobulin by pentoxiphylline therapy in asymptomatic HIV infected individuals.
abstract: Pentoxiphylline, an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The inhibition of TNF-alpha results in decreased immune activation. Beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2 M) has been used as a surrogate marker to study the progression of HIV infection. The objective of this study was to see if use of pentoxiphylline resulted in any decline in beta 2 M levels. Twenty patients with HIV infection who were free of opportunistic infections at the time of inclusion in the study and 18 age and sex matched controls were studied. beta 2 M was measured using an enzyme immunoassay before and four weeks after the start of treatment with pentoxiphylline. Mean levels of beta 2 M before therapy were 1.51 +/- 0.77 mg/l (range 0.78-3.8 mg/l) and were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than the levels among controls [0.72 +/- 0.06 mg/l (range 0.46-0.88 mg/l)]. beta 2 M levels in patients declined to 0.85 +/- 0.22 mg/l (range 0.72-1.0 mg/l) after four weeks of therapy and this was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Use of pentoxiphylline for four weeks results in a significant decline in the levels of beta 2 M suggesting that the level of immune activation is reduced with the therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanchu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bambery
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D010431:Pentoxifylline