1. Impaired phagolysosomal fusion of peripheral blood monocytes from HIV-infected subjects.
- Author
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Pittis MG, Sternik G, Sen L, Diez RA, Planes N, Pirola D, and Estevez ME
- Subjects
- Adult, CD4-CD8 Ratio, Cell Fusion, Female, HIV Envelope Protein gp120 pharmacology, HIV Infections pathology, Humans, Lysosomes pathology, Male, Middle Aged, Phagocytosis, Phagosomes pathology, Recombinant Proteins pharmacology, HIV Infections blood, HIV-1, Lysosomes physiology, Monocytes physiology, Phagosomes physiology
- Abstract
We evaluated phagolysosomal fusion in peripheral blood monocytes from 20 HIV-infected individuals and 40 normal controls, using a fluorescence assay with acridine orange as marker. The percentages of phagolysosomal fusion of monocytes from HIV-infected subjects, after 30 and 60 min of yeast ingestion, (mean +/- standard deviation) 57.2 +/- 17 and 63.2 +/- 18.6, respectively, when compared to normal controls (72.4 +/- 7.8 and 77 +/- 8.1), did not differ significantly. However, there was a direct linear association between the percentages of phagolysosomal fusion and CD4+ lymphocytes (P < 0.001) or CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio (P < 0.01). These results suggest that phagolysosomal dysfunction becomes evident at late stages of HIV infection and progresses as CD4+.T-lymphocyte count and CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio decrease. On the other hand, recombinant gp120 inhibited significantly normal phagolysosomal fusion at concentrations ranging between 1 and 1000 ng/ml. Taking together the results obtained, we can conclude that gp120 could be responsible for monocyte phagolysosomal dysfunction observed in HIV infected patients.
- Published
- 1993
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