INDUCTION OF INTERLEUKIN-10 BY HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 AND ITS GP120 PROTEIN IN HUMAN MONOCYTES MACROPHAGES

In this study, we evaluated the effects of human immunodeficiency viru s type 1 (HIV-1) and its gp120 protein on interleukin-10 (IL-10) expre ssion in cultured human monocytes/macrophages. Infection of either 1-d ay monocytes or 7-day monocyte-derived macrophages with HIV-1 strain B a-L resulted in clear-cut accumulation of IL-10 mRNA at 4 and 24 h. Li kewise, treatment of these cells with recombinant gp120 induced IL-10 mRNA expression and caused a marked increase in IL-10 secretion. Monoc lonal antibodies to gp120 strongly inhibited recombinant gp120-induced IL-10 secretion by monocytes/macrophages. Moreover, the addition of I L-10 to monocytes/macrophages resulted in a significant inhibition of HIV-1 replication 7 and 14 days after infection. On the whole, these r esults indicate that HIV-1 (possibly through its gp120 protein) up-reg ulates IL-10 expression in monocytes/macrophages. We suggest that in v ivo production of IL-10 by HIV-primed monocytes/macrophages can play a n important role in the early response to HIV-1 infection.