title: No change in impaired cellular immune response of HIV-negative homosexuals after 15 years of HIV epidemic in Eastern/Central European region.
abstract: Impaired cell-mediated immune reactivity to polyclonal mitogens was determined in HIV-negative homosexual men (HIV-MSM). Results were compared to those we reported in a complex clinical and immunological investigation in the same risk groups 15 years ago, before the onset of the AIDS epidemic in Hungary. Cellular immune reactivity to polyclonal mitogens was studied in 74 HIV-infected or HIV-uninfected homosexual men and heterosexual controls. Lymphocytes in whole-blood cultures were stimulated with various doses of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin-A (Con-A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) in a blast transformation assay. A significant difference (p = .0002) in lymphocyte proliferation between HIV-MSM vs. heterosexuals using PWM in both concentrations was found. Proliferative capacity was similar in HIV- MSM and HIV infected males with CD4+ > 500/microl. Con-A and PHA showed a less expressed proliferative response. Decreased lymphocyte reactivity to PWM, similar to the one in early HIV infection, could be observed in HIV-MSM. This HIV-independent mild immunodeficiency in MSM is a sign of an increased susceptibility and predisposes to subsequent HIV infection. It seems, however, that MSM's impaired immune response observed over a period of 15 years is an immunodeficiency not changed by the emerging HIV/AIDS epidemic. Our study provides an explanation why the incidence of new HIV cases in homo-/bisexual individuals is still high (> 70%), and it indicates that it remains high in Hungary.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Dermato-Venereology, Budapest, Hungary. Bareva@bor.sote.hu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barabás
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Várkonyi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horváth
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005060:Europe; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A