Dysregulation of the interleukin-2 receptor α- and β-chain expression in CD4 and CD8 T cells in HIV infection

✍ Scribed by N. Johnson; J.M. Parkin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 136 KB
• Volume: 30
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0196-4763
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0320(19971215)30:6<289::aid-cyto4>3.0.co;2-b

✦ Synopsis

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were prepared from human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV ؉ ) individuals (n ‫؍‬ 46) to investigate the expression of both chains of the interleukin-2 receptor. Both qualitative and quantitative changes in expression were observed. Total lymphocyte expression of the IL-2␣ chain (CD25) was decreased compared with HIV-negative (HIV ؊ ) controls. This was due to the decrease in the CD4 ؉ population, which favored expression of this receptor, rather than a decrease in expression, per se. CD8 ؉ lymphocytes expressed the ␤ chain (CD122) in the absence of the ␣ chain. However, a significant increase in the number of peripheral blood CD8 ؉ lymphocytes expressing mainly the ␤ subunit was observed in HIV ؉ patients (P ‫؍‬ 0.02). This was observed to a similar extent in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients and characterized a subpopulation of T lymphocytes expressing high levels of CD8. Lymphocytes from patients with advanced HIV disease failed to up-regulate both ␣ and ␤ chains in response to mitogenic concentrations of phytohaemagglutanin. However, those cells that were able to up-regulate both of the IL-2 receptors were capable of effective signal transduction through the receptor, increasing the proliferative response to stimulation.