ALVEOLAR FLUID GLUTATHIONE IS NOT REDUCED IN ASYMPTOMATIC HIV-SEROPOSITIVE SUBJECTS

Glutathione is an important antioxidant tripeptide that is found in hi gh concentrations in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of the lung. Pr evious investigators demonstrated a deficiency of glutathione (GSH) in the epithelial lining fluid of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-ser opositive patients. The current investigation performed bronchoalveola r ravage (BAL) on 59 asymptomatic HIV-seropositive subjects (mean CD4: 365.9 +/- 31.2 cells/mm(3)) and 12 normal control subjects. The volum e of ELF and the concentration of glutathione and oxidized glutathione were determined. The concentration of total GSH in ELF was not signif icantly different in HIV-seropositive individuals compared with normal subjects (628.1 +/- 63.9 mu M versus 499.9 +/- 86.0 mu M, p = 0.38). However, there was a significantly higher concentration of ELF GSH in HIV-seropositive cigarette smokers (n = 30) compared with nonsmokers ( n 29) (800.3 +/- 107.7 mu M versus 443.6 +/- 45.3 mu M, p = 0.004). Th e percentage of total GSH in the oxidized form (GSSG) was similar in b oth the HIV-seropositive and the normal subject groups (3.4 +/- 0.3% v ersus 3.0 +/- 0.4%, p = 0.559). There were no significant correlations between ELF GSH or GSSG concentrations and age, CD4 count, or pulmona ry function. There was, however, a significant negative correlation be tween BAL lymphocyte percentage and GSH. The current study suggests th at for those patients whose HIV infection is at a relatively early pha se, the levels of GSH in the rung ELF are normal.