Apoptosis-related mortality in vitro of mononuclear cells from patients with HIV infection correlates with disease severity and progression

Article Abstract:

High mortality rates (MR) of cultured mononuclear blood cells are associated with severe and rapidly developing cases of HIV infection. Researchers isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 103 HIV-1 infected patients and 30 control subjects, and grew the cells in culture for 3 days. According to a flow cytometry test, programmed cell death, known as apoptosis, occurred in cells from all HIV patients. The MR of cells was higher in HIV patients than in control subjects. In addition, the MR was lower in patients in earlier stages of HIV infection than those in later stages of infection. A higher MR corresponded with a lower absolute number and lower percentage of CD4 cells. Adding interleukin-2 or fibroblast-conditioned medium to the cells decreased their MR, especially among cells that did not produce the HIV antigen p24. Among 60 patients who were followed for an average of approximately 2 years, progression of HIV infection was associated with greater MR at the beginning of follow-up.

Cell death

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Increased mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and perforin in blood mononuclear cells in human infection

Article Abstract:

Levels of mRNA expression of various cytokines in blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) may be higher in HIV infected people than in uninfected people. Researchers isolated MNCs from blood drawn from 32 HIV patients and 24 HIV-seronegative individuals. They then used in situ hybridization to analyze mRNA expression of the following cytokines: interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and perforin. The percentage of cells expressing mRNA for each cytokine was higher in the HIV infected patients. The numbers of cells expressing mRNA were 1 cell/18,000 cells for IL-6, 1 cell/26,000 cells for IL-10, 1 cell/11,000 cells for TNF-alpha, and 1 cell/31,000 cells for perforin. Levels of mRNA expression of IL-6 were higher in patients with more advanced HIV infection than those with less advanced disease. Levels of mRNA expression of IL-6 were also higher among patients with lower levels of CD4+ cells.

Measurement, Cytokines

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Unintegrated circular HIV-1 DNA in the peripheral mononuclear cells of HIV-1-infected subjects: association with high levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA, rapid decline in CD4 count, and clinical progression to AIDS

Article Abstract:

The presence of unintegrated HIV DNA in blood mononuclear cells may be associated with progression of HIV disease and worsening clinical and immunological conditions. Researchers studied 36 HIV-infected patients, and found that 68% of those with tandem 2-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circular unintegrated DNA of the human immunodeficiency virus had high blood levels of HIV and a decreased level of CD4 white blood cells. Only 31% of patients without 2-LTR DNA showed such evidence of disease progression. These clinical signs indicate ongoing HIV replication.

Health aspects, HIV (Viruses), HIV, Genetic aspects, Circular DNA

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