title: Immunological basis for IgE hyper-production in enfuvirtide-treated HIV- positive patients.
abstract: We previously reported that enfuvirtide (ENF) treatment is accompanied by a selective increase of serum IgE. We asked whether ENF had intrinsic capability to direct B-lymphocytes to switch to IgE and/or if it could drive CD4 T cells to a Th2 phenotype. ENF was added in vitro: (a) to B-lymphocytes stimulated with IgE-switch inducing stimuli; (b) to peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Total IgE production by B cells and IL4 and IFN-gamma production by CD4 T lymphocytes were evaluated, respectively. ENF had no measurable effect on the IgE production by B-lymphocytes. In contrast, it sharply increased the IL4 to IFN-gamma (a correlate of the Th2 phenotype) when added in vitro to T cells from healthy donors or from single ENF-treated patients. The hyper-IgE production in ENF-treated patients is associated with the in vitro induction of a type-2 phenotype in CD4 T cells.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Leukocyte Biology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. s.burastero@hsr.it
authors.forename: Samuele E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Burastero
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Breda
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soldarini
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dorigatti
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soprana
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasson
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castagna
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000077560:Enfuvirtide; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000077560:Enfuvirtide; D007073:Immunoglobulin E