title: [Clinical observation of the changes of serum helper T-lymphocytes (TH) cytokines in patients with HIV-infection and opportunistic infection].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the changes of serum helper T-Lymphocyte (Th) cytokines at each stage in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and with opportunistic infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen normal subjects were studied as controls. Among the 85 patients with HIV-infection studied, 31 had opportunistic infection. The study was divided into stage A, B, and C according to the standards set forth by The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 17, 29, and 39 subjects were respectively at stage A, B, and C. The levels of the CD4+ T cells and the CD8+ T cells were measured by flow cytometry (FCM), while the levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All data were analyzed with statistic software SPSS11.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of the CD4+ T cells was (361.85 +/- 230.61) 10(6)/L in the experimental group, lower than that of the control group (772.41 +/- 161.56) 10(6)/L (t = 6.992, P < 0. 01). The level of IL-2 was (61.82 +/- 63.59) pg/ml, lower than that of the control group (111.25 +/- 66.14) pg/ml (t = 2.907, P < 0.01). In the experimental group, the level of the CD8+ T cells was 713.36 +/- 317.59 10(6)/L, higher than that of the control group (583.24 +/- 96.28) 10(6)/L (t = 3.127, P < 0.01), the level of IL-10 was (1362.70 +/- 869.49) pg/ml, higher than that of the control group (818.54 +/- 276.22) pg/ml (t = 4.704, P < 0.01), and the level of IL-6 was (1883.14 +/- 1058.61) pg/m, higher than that of the control group [(1208.52 +/-745.36) pg/ml] (t = 2.502, P < 0.05). Along with the progression of the disease, the level of IL-2 in the experimental group was decreasing gradually, reaching (51.72 +/- 62.28) pg/ml at stage C and (69.02 +/- 62.77) pg/ml at stage B, both of which were lower than those of the control group. The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 rose gradually and were (2040.27 +/- 1078.95) pg/ml and (1472.10 +/-982.03 ) pg/ml respectively at stage C, higher than those of the control group. At stage B, the level of IL-10 was (1347.35 +/- 780.95) pg/ml, higher than that of the control group (818.54 +/- 276.22) pg/ml. The level of IL-6 was (2236.24 +/- 1052.42) pg/ml in patients with opportunistic infection, higher than that in those without opportunistic infection (1680.43 +/- 1017.05) pg/ml (t = 2. 395, P < 0. 05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dynamical measure of the levels of the serum IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 in patients with HIV infection is a must. Therefore, the progression of AIDS can be controlled by increasing the level of IL-2, decreasing the levels of IL-6 and IL-10, and adjusting the balance of TH1/TH2 cells.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department of Quzhou College, Quzhou, Zhejiang Province 324000, China.
authors.forename: He-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: Nan-Ping
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10