Home Interferon-γ-mediated pathways and in vitro PBMC proliferation in HIV-infected patients
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Interferon-γ-mediated pathways and in vitro PBMC proliferation in HIV-infected patients

  • Katharina Schroecksnadel , Christiana Winkler , Ernst R. Werner , Mario Sarcletti , Nikolaus Romani , Susanne Ebner , Harald Schennach , Dietmar Fuchs and Robert Zangerle
Published/Copyright: November 29, 2008

Abstract

HIV infection is characterized by progressive immunodeficiency: HIV-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cannot properly react to stimulation with allo-antigens and mitogens. In this study, we examined interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-mediated pathways and the proliferative response of mitogen-stimulated HIV-infected PBMCs in vitro. PBMCs of 30 HIV-infected patients were stimulated with the mitogens concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Mitogen stimulation induced expression of IFN-γ, GTP cyclohydrolase I (GCH-I), and indoleamine (2,3)-dioxygenase (IDO) resulting in enhanced neopterin formation and tryptophan degradation by HIV-infected and control PBMCs. IFN-γ concentrations correlated with neopterin levels and tryptophan degradation. Proliferative responses to PHA and PWM cytokine were lower in HIV patients, with IFN-γ formation predicting proliferative responses. Higher mRNA expression of IFN-γ, GCH-I and IDO after 6 h was related to better proliferative responses in HIV-infected PBMCs. In conclusion, induction of IFN-γ and subsequent enzymes appears to importantly influence the proliferative response of HIV-infected PBMCs in vitro, suggesting a prominent role of the cytokine in the development of immunodeficiency.


Corresponding author

Received: 2008-5-27
Accepted: 2008-10-27
Published Online: 2008-11-29
Published in Print: 2009-2-1

©2009 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

Downloaded on 25.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/BC.2009.018/html
Scroll to top button