THE EFFECT OF INFECTION WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS ON THE ANTICRYPTOCOCCAL ACTIVITY OF LYMPHOCYTES AND MONOCYTES

The effect of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on the capacity of human lymphocytes and monocytes to inhibit and kill Crypt ococcus neoformans in an 18-h assay was examined. In vitro infection o f the Jurkat human T cell line with each of 3 HIV strains caused signi ficant loss of anticryptococcal activity, which peaked 3-4 weeks after HIV infection. Lymphocytes from HIV-seropositive and -seronegative pe rsons had similar activity, even if highly enriched for CD4 cells. The activity of lymphocytes from both seropositive and seronegative donor s was increased by culture with interleukin-2 and phytohemagglutinin, but only activated lymphocytes from seronegative donors caused a reduc tion in C. neoformans colony-forming units. Both peripheral blood mono nuclear cells and monocytes from HIV-positive persons had significantl y reduced antifungal activity compared with cells from seronegative do nors. Thus, under defined conditions, infection with HIV can impair th e anticryptococcal activity of both lymphocytes and monocytes. Such qu alitative defects may contribute, together with CD4 lymphocytopenia, t o the particular susceptibility of HIV patients to cryptococcosis.