EFFECT OF IMMUNIZATION WITH AN INACTIVATED GP120-DEPLETED HIV-1 IMMUNOGEN ON BETA-CHEMOKINE AND CYTOKINE PRODUCTION IN SUBJECTS WITH HIV-1 INFECTION

Objective: To measure beta-chemokine and cytokine production in HIV-1- infected subjects undergoing treatment with HIV-1 immunogen (REMUNE). Design: Open label treatment study. Methods: beta-Chemokine and cytoki ne production in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture. Res ults: Interferon-gamma production (p = 0.04) and lymphocyte proliferat ion (p = 0.001) to HIV-1 antigen-stimulated PBMCs increased after immu nization with the HIV-1 immunogen. A correlation was demonstrated afte r immunization between HIV-1 antigen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferati on and interferon-gamma levels (r = 0.53, p = 0.04). No significant ch ange after immunization was seen for interleukin-4 production. A signi ficant increase in mean levels of HIV-1 antigen-stimulated RANTES (i.e ., regulated upon, activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted), w as evident 1 month after immunization (p = 0.002) and remained elevate d 3 months after immunization. RANTES production was decreased in CD8- depleted PBMC cultures. Mean serum HIV-1 RNA copy numbers and CD4 cell counts remained stable after immunization (p >0.5). A correlation was demonstrated between HIV-1 antigen-stimulated interferon-gamma and RA NTES production (r = 0.54, p = 0.002). Conclusions: This report descri bes an augmentation of beta-chemokines and T-Hl-type cytokines from PB MCs after immunization with the HIV-1 immunogen.