LACK OF POLARIZED TYPE-1 OR TYPE-2 CYTOKINE PROFILE IN ASYMPTOMATIC HIV-1-INFECTED PATIENTS DURING A 2-YEAR BIMONTHLY FOLLOW-UP

The production of type 1 (interferon or IFN-gamma) and type 2 (interle ukin or IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines by mitogen-stimulated peripheral blo od mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from asymptomatic human immunode ficiency virus-seropositive (HIV+) patients untreated with any antivir al, antibacterial or antimycotic drugs, and from healthy individuals, was evaluated by quantitative ELISA. Patients who were HIV+ were chara cterized by the absence of abnormal cytokine production. The level of each cytokine differed among individuals in the same group with inters ubject variations greater for HIV+ patients than for healthy individua ls. The longitudinal evaluation of IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-IO productio n showed intrasubject variations which were particularly marked in HIV + patients. Accordingly, HIV+ patients and, to a lesser extent, health y individuals were characterized by a wide spectrum of possible profil es, which were confined to type 0 phenotype. In HIV+ patients no corre lation was found between each cytokine level and the number of CD4(+) T cells, not even in those with a falling CD4(+) T-cell count and clin ical symptoms.