EFFECT OF SERUM FROM HIV-INFECTED SUBJECTS ON SUPEROXIDE PRODUCTION BY POLYMORPHONUCLEAR NEUTROPHILS

Superoxide (O-2(-)) production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) was assessed in 17 subjects with asymptomatic infection (AI), 16 patie nts with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and 12 healthy nor mal subjects. The effect of patients' serum on the oxidative activity of normal and patients' PMN was also investigated. The O-2(-) producti on, nonstimulated and stimulated with zymosan particles in the presenc e of normal serum, was similar to that of normal controls in both grou ps of patients. The serum from 11 out of the 17 AI subjects (65%) indu ced an increase in the stimulated O-2(-) production in normal and pati ents' PMN, while the serum from 8 out of the 16 AIDS patients (50%) in duced a diminution. These effects did not appear to be related to comp lement C-3, and circulating immune complex levels, but suggest that PM N of HIV-seropositive patients do not present an intrinsic dysfunction and that the impact of serum factor(s) affects the normal oxidative a ctivity of these cells depending on the stage of infection.