Differences in nocturnal basal and rhythmic prolactin secretion in untreated compared to treated HIV-infected men are associated with CD4+ T-lymphocytes.
The existence of decreased hypothalamic dopaminergic tone in HIV-infected men has been suggested. In a cross-sectional study, we determined 12 h nocturnal basal and pulsatile prolactin (PRL) release levels (by blood sampling every 10 min) and their correlation with CD4+ T cells in seven volunteer HIV-negative, healthy men (group 1), and 21 normoprolactinemic, euthyroid, HIV-infected men divided into 3 groups (each group = 7): (i) group 2, asymptomatic HIV-infected stage A1 men, untreated; (ii) group 3, AIDS stage C3 without active opportunistic infections, untreated; and (iii) group 4, previously stage C3 after at least 6 months of successful highly active antiretroviral therapy. Serum PRL was measured by radioimmunoanalysis and the results were analysed by waveform-independent deconvolution analysis. CD4+ T lymphocytes were measured by flow cytometry and viral load by a nucleic acid sequence-based amplification assay. No differences were detected in the first two groups. In the third group, however, 100% of prolactin secretion was found to be pulsatile with a shorter secretory burst duration (P = 0.04), and a greater circulating half-life and pulse amplitude (P < or = 0.04). Group 4 had the greatest basal prolactin secretion (P < or = 0.04), and a shorter secretory burst duration (P = 0.04 vs group 2), circulating half-life (P = 0.01 vs group 3) and intersecretory burst interval (P = 0.06 vs group 1). PRL approximate entropy was similar among all groups. Linear correlations existed between CD4+ T cell counts and PRL secretory burst half duration (r = 0.62, P = 0.002) and amplitude (r = -0.63, P = 0.001), and in circulating serum half-life (r = - 0.61, P = 0.002) in HIV-infected groups. Viral load showed no correlations. It is suggested that differential changes in nocturnal prolactin secretion among HIV-infected men occurred while maintaining the normal coordinate feedback and/or feedforward control within the lactotropic axis. These changes may represent an adaptative mechanism to sustain, by different means, the maximal physiologic PRL production to stimulate the highest cellular immune response and/or reconstitution in attempting to survive.
Department of Endocrinology, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, México City, Mexico. parra12@hotmail.com
Adalberto
A
Parra
Gustavo
G
Reyes-Terán
Jorge
J
Ramírez-Peredo
Benedicte
B
Jacquemin
Verónica
V
Quiroz
Mario
M
Cárdenas
María Cecilia
MC
García-Sancho
Fernando
F
Larrea
MarIo
M
Cárdenas
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003624:Darkness; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D019562:Viral Load
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D011388:Prolactin