Effect of cytokines on HIV-induced depletion of thymocytes in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Cytokines play an important role in the differentiation of thymocytes into mature T cells; consequently, certain cytokines could be useful for immune reconstitution after HIV infection without increasing viral load. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether cytokines affect immune depletion caused by HIV infection with a CXCR4-tropic strain in SCID-hu mice implanted with human fetal thymus and liver (thy/liv) tissue. METHODS: The thy/liv implants were either mock infected or infected with HIV-1 NL4-3, a CXCR4-tropic molecular clone. Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-7, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or diluent was administered to the mice during the second and third week postinfection. Viral load and immunophenotype were determined in thymocytes. RESULTS: Thymocyte subset distributions at 3 weeks postinfection were significantly influenced by treatment with certain cytokines. In particular, IL-2 caused the infected mice to retain a thymocyte profile that was more similar to that in mock-infected mice than that in diluent-treated infected mice, in that the percentages of immature CD4+CD8+ and CD5+CD1+ cells were slightly higher and much less variable than in diluent-treated infected mice. The effect of IFN-gamma treatment was similar to IL-2 but did not reach statistical significance. However, after IFN-gamma treatment, normal percentages of mature CD3+CD69+ cells were maintained whereas this population was relatively increased in diluent-treated infected mice. Although treatment with IL-4 and IL-7 delayed depletion of immature thymocytes, these cytokines increased viral load. CONCLUSIONS: Cytokines such as IL-2 and IFN-gamma maintain immature thymocytes without increasing viral load and may be useful as adjuncts to improve immune reconstitution after HIV infection.

Apoptosis in cord blood T lymphocytes from infants of human immunodeficiency virus-infected mothers.

Apoptosis continues to be controversial in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced pathogenesis. To investigate whether apoptosis occurs with HIV exposure with or without subsequent infection, levels of apoptosis were measured in cord blood lymphocytes (CBL) from seven newborns delivered to HIV-infected mothers and seven normal, unexposed newborns. Live cells were costained with antibodies to cell surface markers and the DNA dye 7-amino actinomycin D to immunophenotype apoptotic CBL subsets. Apoptosis was measured in fresh and cultured CBL in the presence and absence of CD3 T-cell receptor stimulation. Compared to the CD4+ CBL from HIV-unexposed newborns, CD4+ CBL from six HIV-exposed, noninfected newborns demonstrated significantly greater apoptosis after overnight culture even in the absence of CD3 stimulation. Compared to HIV-unexposed controls, CD8+ CBL from the six HIV-exposed newborns also demonstrated increased levels of apoptosis after overnight culture without stimulation. The one HIV-infected newborn in this study showed the highest levels of CD4+ and CD8+ apoptotic CBL. The data suggest that levels of apoptosis are increased in infants in association with HIV infection. Furthermore, CD4+ and CD8+ cord blood lymphocytes from HIV-exposed infants behaved differently than T lymphocytes from either normal, unexposed infants or an HIV-infected infant. These results suggest that exposure to HIV or HIV-induced factors increases the levels of apoptosis in CBL.