In vivo depression of lymphocyte traffic in sheep by VIP and HIV (AIDS)-related peptides.

Core pentapeptides and an octapeptide (Peptide T) computer deduced from amino acid sequences from vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the 120 gp external envelope of the HIV (AIDS) virus and synthesized have been reported to have important in vitro and in vivo activity including inhibition of HIV binding to CD4 surface antigens of brain cells and lymphocytes and limitation of HIV infectivity. Two of these core pentapeptides, peptide TTNYT (Peptide T [4-8]) and peptide TDNYT (VIP [7-11]), are reported here, on acute infusion into cannulated afferent popliteal lymphatics of sheep, to produce prompt and marked depressions in the output of both small recirculating and blast lymphocytes into popliteal lymph node efferent lymph. As with a prior VIP infusion study, there appeared to be a selective effect on T4 (CD4) lymphocytes, with a marked predominance of T4 (CD4) lymphocytes in the lymphocyte depleted efferent lymph.