INCREASED INTRACELLULAR MACROPHAGE INFLAMMATORY PROTEIN-1-BETA CORRELATES WITH ADVANCED HIV DISEASE

The objective of this study was to correlate between macrophage inflam matory protein-1 beta (MIPI beta) and viral loads in untreated, HIV-in fected individuals. For that purpose, HIV-positive patients were teste d for number of copies of HIV-RNA in plasma and for intracellular MTP1 beta in freshly explanted CD8 and CD4 lymphocytes and monocytes. Resu lts demonstrate that the levels of MIP1 beta in the various cell popul ations were significantly higher in the HIV group than in age-matched healthy individuals. Moreover, patients with low CD4 cell counts (<500 /mu l) and relatively high viral loads exhibited much higher levels of intracellular MIP1 beta than patients with lower viral loads and CD4 counts >500/mu l. We conclude therefore that although MIP1 beta is ind uced in the various cell populations as a result of HIV infection in v ivo, a high intracellular level of MIP1 beta appears to be linked to a deterioration in the immune status of the patients.