Cp. Quan et al., Different dysregulations of the natural antibody repertoire in treated anduntreated HIV-1 patients, J AUTOIMMUN, 17(1), 2001, pp. 81-87
To investigate a possible dysregulation of the autoantibody network in AIDS
patients, the relative activity of representative natural antibodies was m
easured in serum IgG and I-M. These immunoglobulins were purified from two
cohorts of 20 HIV-infected patients undergoing, or not, a triple combinatio
n therapy. A cohort of 20 normal patients was used as a control. Marked alt
erations of the natural antibody repertoire were observed, varying accordin
g to the isotype and specificity of the antibody studied. For the classical
self-protein antigens, human actin and myosin, the changes observed in the
untreated cohort were absent in the treated cohort. In contrast, no change
s, or even increased changes of the activity of antibodies to special antig
ens, DNA and TNP, occurred in the treated cohort. The differences were high
ly significant, indicating that this repertoire is regulated and not random
ly modified by the disease. These results suggest the presence of different
factors of dysregulation of the B cell. repertoire of natural antibodies a
ssociated with the disease as well as with the treatment. These major dysre
gulations may favor the autoimmune phenomena observed during HIV infection.
(C) 2001 Academic Press.