DECREASED LEVELS OF TNF-BETA IN CULTURED PBLS FROM HIV-INDUCED PROLIFERATION AND DEHYDROGENASE-ACTIVITY( PATIENTS OCCUR CONCOMITANTLY TO INCREASED APOPTOSIS AND IMPAIRED PWM)

The occurrence of apoptosis in cultured blood cells from HIV+ patients is well-documented. However, the relationship of this process to cyto kine production is still undefined. We measured the production of TNF- beta by mitogen-stimulated PBLs from 33 HIV+ patients, while simultane ously assessing their development of apoptosis, dehydrogenase activity and proliferative responses to PWM and PHA; Only 3/33 patients had le ss than 30% apoptosis in PWM cultures (average value = 19.6%); patient s were grouped in accordance with their having low (31-40%; average 34 .8%), intermediate (41-50%, average 45.7%) or high levels (over 51%, a verage 53.6%) of apoptosis. Our results indicate that there is a quant itative correlation between the different degrees of apoptosis and the impaired production of TNF-beta, and support the hypothesis that PBLs from all HIV+ patients have defective immunological functions. In add ition, our results show that TNF-beta production correlates with a sta ge classification of patients which reflects their PBL status of apopt osis, proliferative response to PWM and dehydrogenase activity in vitr o.