HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS (HIV)-INFECTED HUMAN BLOOD MONOCYTES ANDPERITONEAL-MACROPHAGES HAVE REDUCED ANTICRYPTOCOCCAL ACTIVITY WHEREASHIV-INFECTED ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES RETAIN NORMAL ACTIVITY

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection causes immune dy sfunction. Mononuclear phagocytes (MNP) are immune effector cells agai nst some intracellular pathogens and reservoirs for HIV-1. This study determined effects of HIV-1 on MNP-mediated antifungal function. MNP f rom seronegative volunteers were inoculated with HIVBal or HIVIIIB. MN P were infected with an avirulent clone of Cryptococcus neoformans; 48 h later, MNP were lysed and yeasts were counted. Viral replication wa s determined by reverse transcriptase and by visualization of cytopath ic effects. Monocytes and peritoneal macrophages exhibited reduced ant icryptococcal activity 14 days after infection with HIVBal but retaine d normal activity when infected with HIVIIIB. Loss of anticryptococcal activity correlated with viral replication. Alveolar macrophages reta ined normal anticryptococcal activity whether infected with HIVBal or HIVIIIB. In vitro MNP-mediated antifungal activity may be altered by H IV-1 infection; this altered activity appears to depend on viral tropi sm, viral replication, and MNP tissue origin.