Cj. Haug et al., THE EFFECT OF 1,25-VITAMIN-D3 ON MATURATION OF MONOCYTES FROM HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS VARIES WITH DEGREE OF IMMUNODEFICIENCY, APMIS. Acta pathologica, microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica, 104(7-8), 1996, pp. 539-548
The active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 (1,25D),
has been shown to induce monocyte-to-macrophage maturation in vitro a
s well as monocytic differentiation of bone marrow precursors and mono
cytic leukaemic cell lines. In this study we assessed whether 1,25D co
uld improve the maturation defect we have previously demonstrated in m
onocytes from AIDS patients. In vitro growth and maturation of monocyt
es from 10 controls, 15 asymptomatic HIV positives (CDC group II or II
I) and 13 symptomatic HIV positives (CDC group IV) was examined by ass
essing cellular morphology, differentiation, adherence and protein con
tent. Cells were cultured for 10 days with or without addition of 1,25
D at a concentration of 100 pg/ml. In addition, patients were monitore
d clinically and by immunological parameters and HIV p24 antigen in se
rum. The present study showed that addition of 1,25D significantly imp
roved the growth and maturation in both patient and control groups. Th
ere was a significant negative correlation between response to 1,25D a
nd CD4+ lymphocyte count in blood in HIV-infected patients. A greater
response to 1,25D was seen in monocytes from patients with advanced im
munodeficiency and symptomatic disease than in monocytes from asymptom
atic patients. However, in the most advanced cases of HIV infection wi
th serious ongoing opportunistic infections the response to 1,25D was
very poor, possibly reflecting profound and incorrigible dysfunction o
f monocytes.