Lack of Polarized Type 1 or Type 2 Cytokine Profile in Asymptomatic HIV‐1‐Infected Patients During a Two‐Year Bimonthly Follow‐Up

Abstract

The production of type 1 (interferon or IFN‐γ) and type 2 (interleukin or IL‐4 and IL‐10) cytokines by mitogen‐stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus‐seropositive (HIV⁺) patients untreated with any antiviral, antibacterial or antimycotic drugs, and from healthy individuals, was evaluated by quantitative ELISA. Patients who were HIV⁺ were characterized by the absence of abnormal cytokine production. The level of each cytokine differed among individuals in the same group with intersubject variations greater for HIV⁺ patients than for healthy individuals. The longitudinal evaluation of IFN‐γ, IL‐4 and IL‐10 production showed intrasubject variations which were particularly marked in HIV⁺ patients. Accordingly, HIV⁺ patients and, to a lesser extent, healthy individuals were characterized by a wide spectrum of possible profiles, which were confined to type 0 phenotype. In HIV⁺ patients no correlation was found between each cytokine level and the number of CD4⁺ T cells, not even in those with a falling CD4⁺ T‐cell count and clinical symptoms.