REDUCED NUMBER OF LANGERHANS CELLS IN ORAL MUCOSAL WASHINGS FROM HIV-1 SEROPOSITIVES

In order to elucidate mucosal immunity in HIV-1 seropositive individua ls, we investigated oral mucosa washings from 20 HIV-1 seropositive pa tients for the presence of Langerhans cells (LC) and HIV-1 antigen-pos itive cells, and compared the results with those obtained from 20 HIV- 1 seronegative healthy individuals. Monoclonal antibodies directed aga inst CDla, HLA-DR, CD3, and p24 were used to identify LC, T cells and HIV-1 core-antigens, respectively. In oral mucosa washings from HIV-1 seropositive patients there was a significant reduction in the number of CDla(+) cells as compared with the healthy subjects. HIV-1 antigen- positive cells were not detected. The reduction of LC in oral mucosa w ashings from HIV-1 seropositive patients is probably associated with H IV-1 infection. The frequent occurrence of oral mucosal disorders in H IV-1 infected patients may in part be caused by a reduced LC-number an d/or function.