INCREASED PHAGOCYTOSIS AND GENERATION OF REACTIVE OXYGEN PRODUCTS BY NEUTROPHILS AND MONOCYTES OF MEN WITH STAGE-1 HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION

Flow cytometry was used to study phagocytic function and release of re active oxygen products following phagocytosis by neutrophils (PMNL) an d monocytes of heparinized whole blood from stage 1 human immunodefici ency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected men. Phagocytic capacity was assess ed by measuring uptake of Texas red-labeled bacteria. Reactive oxygen generation after phagocytosis was estimated by the quantity of dichlor ofluorescein diacetate converted to dichlorofluorescein intracellularl y. Compared with results in samples from age- and sex-matched controls , PMNL and monocytes from HIV-1-infected patients exhibited a signific antly increased capacity to phagocytose Staphylococcus aureus and Esch erichia coli and generate reactive oxygen products. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that stimuli associated with early HIV- 1 infection enhance the nonspecific response of phagocytic cells to po tential bacterial pathogens.