RANTES production from CD4+ lymphocytes correlates with host genotype and rates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 disease progression

Several chemokine and chemokine receptor parameters were measured in periph eral blood mononuclear cells obtained from patients before they became infe cted with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). After HIV-1 infectio n, the parameters were compared with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels and with rates of CD4(+) lymphocyte decline. Patients who were heterozygous for the Delta 32CCR5 allele had significantly higher levels of RANTES production from th eir CD4(+) lymphocytes than did patients who did not carry the Delta 32CCR5 allele (P = .01). Higher RANTES production levels from ex vivo-activated C D4(+)-enriched lymphocytes, but not CD8(+) lymphocytes, correlated with low er plasma HIV-1 RNA levels 9-12 months after infection (P = .01) and with s lower rates of CD4(+) lymphocyte decline (P = .002). CCR5 expression levels on ex vivo-activated CD4(+) lymphocytes did not correlate with markers of disease progression. These results further support the hypothesis that chem okine production levels are associated with HIV-1 replication in vivo.