Functionally relevant changes occur in HIV-infected individualsʼ alveolar macrophages prior to the onset of respiratory disease

Abstract

The differences between the three groups suggest that alterations of potential relevance to the pulmonary immune response are occurring in alveolar macrophages prior to the onset of respiratory disease. This study confirms the importance of investigating asymptomatic HIV-positive individuals.

The growth and the control of human immunodeficiency virus in the lung: implications for highly active antiretroviral therapy

“…In contrast, other studies have demonstrated an elevation in IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL-15, GM-CSF and TNF-a, as well as TGF-b, in HIV-1infected patients compared with healthy, HIV-1-negative control subjects [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48]. Furthermore, production of IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-b and TNF-a is further increased in the presence of lung disease such as PCP and pneumonitis [38,39,43,49]. Conflicting data about this have shown that HIV-and P. carinii-infected cells exhibit elevated levels only of IL-6, while levels of TNF-a and IL-1b actually decline [50].…”

“…Certain reports indicate levels of IL-1a, IL-3, IL-6, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage colonystimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CF), TNF-a and transforming growth factor (TGF) b in HIV infection remain analogous to those in uninfected cells [37]. In contrast, other studies have demonstrated an elevation in IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL-15, GM-CSF and TNF-a, as well as TGF-b, in HIV-1infected patients compared with healthy, HIV-1-negative control subjects [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48]. Furthermore, production of IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-b and TNF-a is further increased in the presence of lung disease such as PCP and pneumonitis [38,39,43,49].…”

Pyogenic bacterial lower respiratory tract infection in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

“…Other defects [94], such as nonspecific host defencelike dysfunction of phagocytes [95,96], abnormal activation of the complement system, alterations in hepatic and splenic clearance, alteration of surfactant and a low mannose-binding lectin serum concentration [97] have also been incriminated.…”

MHC Class II and HIV pathogenesis: lots of data, few conclusions

“…Using alveolar macrophages, HLA DR expression was increased in HIV infected individuals who had no respiratory symptoms compared to those with associated pneumonitis. This latter group had in turn greater HLA DR expression than healthy controls' alveolar macrophages [5]. Interferon g, which invokes HLA DR expression, may be crucial to this finding.…”