Effect of d-fenfluramine on the lymphocyte response of HIV+ humans

The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of d-dexfenfluramine (d-FEN) on the human lymphocyte response, in vitro. Experiments were design ed to determine whether d-FEN augments specific human immune parameters ass ociated with protection from opportunistic microbial pathogens and particul arly focuses on d-FEN as a means by which to augment the function of CD8(+) and CD4(+) lymphocytes. Lymphocytes were examined for three reasons: (1) f or their ability to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans; (2) for their a bility to proliferate in response to a mitogen; and, (3) their cytokine pro file (vis., production of IL-2, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from 20 HIV+ patients. The patients were diagnosed as HIV+ within the past 0.5-9 years, d-FEN was found to augm ent the capacity of CD8(+) lymphocytes to inhibit the growth of the opportu nistic microbial pathogen, C. albicans. d-FEN enhanced the capacity of CD4( +) lymphocytes to proliferate in response to the mitogen, Concanavalin A, a nd to increase the amount of IL-2 produced by CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes from AIDS patients, d-FEN increased the number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) lympho cytes that produced IFN-gamma from either non-AIDS or AIDS patients and inc reased the number of AIDS patient's CD8(+) lymphocytes that produce TNF-alp ha. These in vitro data suggest that d-FEN may be effective in enhancing im mune function in immunocompromised individuals. (C) 1998 International Soci ety for Immunopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.