C-C CHEMOKINES, IL-16, AND SOLUBLE ANTIVIRAL FACTOR ACTIVITY ARE INCREASED IN CLONED T-CELLS FROM SUBJECTS WITH LONG-TERM NONPROGRESSIVE HIV-INFECTION

A combination of three beta, or C-C, chemokines, as well as IL-16, hav e been shown to inhibit HIV replication in vitro. Cellular antiviral f actor is a more potent agent, and acts on all HIV strains. All are mai nly, but not exclusively, produced by CD8(+) T cells, both in HIV+ and healthy subjects. We studied the production of these HIV-suppressive factors in patients with HIV infection at different stages of disease, No difference in production by PBMC stimulated with PHA has been obse rved in asymptomatic HIV+, long-term nonprogressors (LTnP), and AIDS p atients. When T cell line supernatants from these three groups were st udied, no significant difference was found for C-C chemokines or IL-16 production, and viral suppression. However, T cell clones from LTnP s ecreted higher levels of all three chemokines, IL-16, and exerted a st ronger inhibition on HIV replication. CD8(+) clones showed a higher pr oduction than CD4(+) clones. These clones were able to produce all ant iviral factors irrespective of the secretion of type 1 or type 2 cytok ines, The antiviral activities were not correlated, implying that vira l suppression did not depend solely on C-C chemokines or IL-16. We pos tulate that all factors are needed to prevent HIV disease progression.