ISSN:
1573-2592
Keywords:
Interleukin 2
;
homosexuals
;
mitogenic T-cell monoclonal antibodies
;
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract We studied the ability of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and two anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies OKT3 and Pan T2, to induce proliferation and interleukin 2 (IL2) production in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 21 homosexual patients: 12 with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), 4 with reactive lymphadenopathy, and 5 with opportunistic infections. All patients with KS and opportunistic infections had significantly lower mitogen-stimulated DNA synthesis, as compared to the controls, irrespective of the mitogen used (P〈0.01). The patients with lymphadenopathy exhibited significantly lower responses only in the OKT3 assay as compared to normals (P=0.009). The production of endogenous IL2 was significantly lower in PBL cultures from patients with KS and with opportunistic infections, irrespective of the mitogen used, as compared to healthy male controls, and also significantly lower in the Pan T2-stimulated cultures from patients with lymphadenopathy. The addition of highly purified IL2 was able to restore partially lymphocyte proliferationin vitro in the presence of these mitogens in all patients. Our studies demonstrate (1) that male homosexuals even without clinical manifestations of immunodeficiency frequently exhibit a proliferative T-cell defect when anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies rather than PHA are used as mitogens, (2) that this proliferative defect is associated with defective IL2 production, and (3) that this defect is at least in part correctablein vitro by highly purified IL2.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00915794
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