PLASMA-LEVELS OF STNFR P75 AND IL-8 IN PATIENTS WITH HIV-1 INFECTIONS

We determined the degree of activation of the TNF alpha system and the levels of IL-8 in HIV-1 infection. TNF alpha is one of the most poten t agents for the induction of IL-8. TNF alpha may be cleared rapidly f rom the circulation, however soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (s TNFR) p75 which is more stable may reflect the degree of activation of the TNF alpha system. We measured concentrations of sTNFR p75 and IL- 8 with immunoassays in the plasma of 99 HIV-1-infected patients at dif ferent stages of disease (Centers for Disease Control classification) and in 20 healthy control subjects. Plasma levels of sTNFR p75 were el evated in most of the asymptomatic seropositive patients without CD4()T cell depletion (Stage IIA) and in most of patients of all clinical groups compared with controls. However, in the majority of those patie nts plasma levels of IL-8 were not higher than those of controls. Our results suggest that sTNFR p75 levels but not IL-8 levels in circulati ng blood are high in the course of HIV-1 infection.