B-CELL AND T-CELL FUNCTION PARAMETERS DURING ZIDOVUDINE TREATMENT OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED PATIENTS

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of zidovudine on B cel l dysregulation in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patient s and the phenomenon of gp 120/anti-gp 120 antibody complex adhesion t o CD4(+) cells. Compared with pretherapy figures, zidovudine treatment was not associated with a change in spontaneous in vitro synthesis of anti-HIV antibodies but was related to restoration of lymphocyte abil ity to produce Epstein-Barr virus-specific antibodies in 43% of previo usly unresponsive patients. After 30 days of therapy, the percentage o f circulating CD4(+)/IgC(+) lymphocytes decreased; the number of avail able CD4 receptors per cell increased, and antibodies to gp120, eviden t in CD4(+) cell eluates from most untreated patients, were no longer detectable. These results indicate that zidovudine partly restores in vitro humoral responsiveness but does not substantially influence the overall activation of the B cell compartment. The findings also sugges t that zidovudine may down-regulate some immunopathologic phenomena th at amplify direct viral damage.