title: Interleukin-7-dependent production of RANTES that correlates with human immunodeficiency virus disease progression.
abstract: There is a relationship between CD4-T-cell number and circulating interleukin 7 (IL-7) levels in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals. Here, we show that IL-7 induced a dose-dependent production of CCL3 (MIP-1alpha), CCL4 (MIP-1beta), and CCL5 (RANTES) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), ex vivo tonsil lymphoid tissue of HIV(-) individuals, and PBMC from HIV(+) individuals, suggesting that IL-7 may regulate beta-chemokine production in vivo. In a cross-sectional study of HIV(+) individuals (n = 130), a weak but significant correlation between IL-7 and RANTES was noted (r = 0.379; P < 0.001). Remarkably, the correlation between IL-7 and RANTES increased to an r value of 0.798 (P < 0.001) if individuals with low CD4 cell counts (<200 cells/ micro l) were excluded from the analysis. Our results suggest that there is a relationship between IL-7 and the production of RANTES both in vitro and in vivo that is lost in immune-compromised patients (CD4 count of <200 cells/ micro l) but that could be restored by antiretroviral therapy. Unlike the case for IL-7, high levels of RANTES suggest an intermediate stage of HIV disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Retrovirology Laboratory irsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Anuska
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llano
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barretina
authors.forename: Arantxa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Bonaventura
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clotet
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Esté
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D015851:Interleukin-7; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins