Comparison of plasma cytokine levels in African patients with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection

AIDS. 1994 Jul;8(7):879-84. doi: 10.1097/00002030-199407000-00003.

Abstract

Objective: To determine plasma cytokine levels [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta and IL-6] in African patients infected with HIV-2 relative to values in HIV-1-infected patients, and their relation to immunologic and clinical status.

Design: Questions about the observed differences in the pathogenesis of HIV-2 and HIV-1 remain unanswered. Cytokines, especially TNF-alpha, are involved in the regulation of HIV-1 replication, and can be found in the plasma of HIV-1-infected individuals. Therefore, we evaluated TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 levels in the plasma of African patients with different stages of HIV-2 disease. This was a 3-year prospective follow-up study.

Methods: Cytokine plasma levels were assayed in 40 HIV-2- and 51 HIV-1-infected patients from Africa. Nineteen of the 40 HIV-2-infected-patients underwent serial assays every 4 months for 3 years. Data were analysed in relation to the number of CD4+ and CD8+ cells, viral load and clinical status.

Results: Plasma levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta were significantly higher in all the HIV-1- and HIV-2-infected patients than in healthy controls; IL-6 levels were around the detection limit for all patients. TNF-alpha levels were lower in the HIV-2-infected than in the HIV-1-infected patients at all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disease stages, including the asymptomatic phase. The CD4+ cell count was always higher in the HIV-2-infected patients, regardless of CDC stage. The prospective follow-up showed that TNF-alpha levels remained stable during the course of HIV-2 disease, as did the CD4+ cell count and virus load.

Conclusion: Lower and stable plasma TNF-alpha levels in African patients infected with HIV-2, associated with lower viral load and higher CD4+ cell count, suggests the existence of a more appropriate and efficient immune response to HIV-2 than to HIV-1.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AIDS Serodiagnosis
  • Adult
  • Africa, Central
  • Africa, Western
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Disease Progression
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • HIV Infections / blood*
  • HIV-1*
  • HIV-2*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1 / blood
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Lymphocyte Subsets / microbiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / analysis
  • Viremia / microbiology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-6
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha