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.