APOPTOSIS IN HIV-INFECTION - PROTECTIVE ROLE OF IL-2

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected subjects have bee n demonstrated by different methods to die by apoptosis after short ti me in culture. In the present study the percentages of apoptotic cells have been measured by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry in PBMC from healthy controls (15) and HIV-infected subjects with asympt omatic (10) or advanced (15) disease, with or without anti-viral treat ment. The percentage of apoptosis significantly correlated with clinic al stage (CDCII: 15.85% +/- 9.17, CDCIV: 22.6% +/- 5.97, P < 0.001) an d the CD4/CD8 CD3 cell ratio. R = -0.57, P = 0.012), while no differen ces were found in relation to AZT therapy. By adding IL-2 to the cultu res the percentages of apoptosis of PBMC from HIV-infected patients we re significantly reduced in all experiments.