BETA-ENDORPHIN CONTENT IN HIV-INFECTED HUT78 CELL-LINE AND IN PERIPHERAL LYMPHOCYTES FROM HIV-POSITIVE SUBJECTS

We investigated beta-endorphin (BE) content in an HIV-infected cell li ne and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) from HIV-positive s ubjects. HIV infection increased BE content in HuT78 cell line compare d to uninfected cells. Accordingly, BE content was greater in HIV-posi tive subjects than in healthy controls, both in fresh PBM and in mitog en-stimulated or unstimulated cultured cells. Further, in PHA-stimulat ed cultures, BE increase was correlated with disease progression. Opio ids are known to decrease immune responsiveness in vivo, and it may be that the increased BE concentrations contribute to HIV-associated imm une deficiency. In HIV-positive subjects, but not in healthy controls, intracellular BE concentration was positively correlated with PHA-ind uced PBM proliferation. The latter data suggest an alternative explana tion: that the increased BE content represents a paradoxical response of the host in an attempt to balance virus-induced immunodepression. T hus, BE may be important in fine-tuning of the immune response with it s up- and downregulation dependent upon differences in immune status.