Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0021051 (immunodeficiency)
71,517 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The administration of low dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) results in a selective expansion of natural killer (NK) cells in vivo, and promotes the differentiation of NK cells from hematopoietic precursor cells in vitro. We have previously shown that stem cell factor (SCF ), the ligand to the c-kit tyrosine kinase receptor, enhances IL-2-induced NK cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro. Here, we investigated the effects of SCF plus IL-2 delivered to mice in vivo. Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were treated with a continuous subcutaneous infusion of IL-2 (1 x 10(4) IU/d) plus a daily intraperitoneal dose of SCF (100 microg/kg/d), IL-2 alone, SCF alone, or vehicle alone for 8 weeks. The in vivo serum concentration of IL-2 ranged between 352 +/- 12.0 pg/mL and 606 +/- 9.0 pg/mL, achieving selective saturation of the high affinity IL-2 receptor, while the peak SCF serum concentration was 296 +/- 13.09 ng/mL. Alone, the daily administration of SCF had no effect on the expansion of NK cells. The continuous infusion of IL-2 alone did result in a significant expansion of NK1.1+CD3- cells compared to mice treated with placebo or SCF. However, mice treated with both SCF and IL-2 showed an increase in the absolute number of NK cells that was more than twofold that seen with IL-2 alone, in the spleen (P </= .005), bone marrow (P </= .025), and blood (P < .05). NK cytotoxic activity against YAC-1 target cells was significantly higher for mice treated with SCF plus IL-2, compared to mice treated with IL-2 alone (P </= .0005). Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in cytokine-activated splenocytes was also greater for the SCF plus IL-2 group, over IL-2 treatment alone (P </= .01). The effect of SCF plus IL-2 on NK cell expansion was likely mediated via NK cell precursors, rather than mature NK cells. In summary, we provide the first evidence that SCF can significantly enhance expansion of functional NK cells induced by the prolonged administration of low dose IL-2 in vivo. Since the NK cell is a cytotoxic innate immune effector and a potent source of IFN-gamma, this therapeutic strategy for NK cell expansion may serve to further enhance innate immune surveillance against malignant transformation and infection in the setting of cancer and/or immunodeficiency.
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PMID:Stem cell factor enhances interleukin-2-mediated expansion of murine natural killer cells in vivo. 934 49

We have analyzed the ability of three molecular clones of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and an ex vivo variant to infect nine distinct specific-pathogen-free feline cell lines in tissue culture. The purpose of these studies was to elucidate mechanisms by which host cells regulate the level of virus infection and expression and to assess host cell cytokine responses to virus infection. Cells used for the analyzes included four IL-2-dependent continuous T-cell lines (104-C1, 104-C7, MCH5-4 and DB FeTs) which arose from long-term passage, followed by limiting dilution cloning of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); two IL-2-independent T-cell lines (104-C1DL and MCH5-4DL) which originated from two of the IL-2-dependent lines, 104-C1 and MCH5-4; respectively; Crandell feline kidney cells (CrFK); G355-5 brain-derived glial cells; and the T-cell lymphoma line, 3201. Cells were infected with FIV-PPR, FIV-34TF10, FIV 34TF10orf2rep, and a variant arising from FIV-PPR during ex vivo passage on 104-C1DL cells, termed FIV-PPRglial. Infection of the IL-2-dependent T-cell line, 104-C1, by FIV-PPR resulted in the specific and distinct upregulation of cytokine expression. In particular, these cells doubled their expression of the pleiotropic cytokines, interleukin-4 and interleukin-12 after FIV infection. Interferon-gamma production also increased after infection with FIV whereas, TNFalpha expression remained constant. Also, a marked upregulation of MHC class II expression was noted post infection of MCH5-4 and 104-C1 cells with FIV-PPR. Similar results were obtained after infection with FIV-34TF10orf2rep, indicating that the upregulation of cytokine expression is not an isolate-specific phenomenon. Changes in cytokine and class II expression are similar to various reports for the in vivo cytokine alterations in FIV, SIV and HIV infections. The ex vivo infection of these cell lines offers amanipulable system to examine the mechanism(s) by which lentiviruses alter cytokine expression.
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PMID:FIV infection of IL-2-dependent and -independent feline lymphocyte lines: host cells range distinctions and specific cytokine upregulation. 983 80

Cytokine and immune activation marker levels in plasma are valuable measurements of immune status and treatment effects in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and AIDS. Five populations representing various stages of disease were studied: controls, 2 AIDS groups with <50/mm3 CD4 cells, and 2 groups of HIV-positive subjects-1 with stable CD4 T cells (median, 545/mm3) and 1 with >100/mm3 CD4 cell decline in 1 year. Relatively stable levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, soluble TNF receptor (R)II, soluble interleukin-2R, neopterin, and beta2-microglobulin (beta2M) were documented over 5-8 weeks in patients with AIDS and for 1-4 years in the other groups. beta2M was generally the most stable marker. Interferon-gamma levels, however, fluctuated substantially. Individuals, whether normal or HIV-positive, maintain characteristic plasma levels of cytokines and immune activation markers. Thus, documented changes, in excess of the variability observed in this study, are likely to be significant indicators of change in disease status or effects of therapy.
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PMID:Stability of plasma levels of cytokines and soluble activation markers in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. 1006 79

We have previously reported that CCR5-dependent human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1; R5), but not CXCR4-restricted (X4) virus, efficiently replicates in T helper cell type 1 (Th1), Th2, or Th0 polyclonal T cells obtained from human umbilical cord blood (CB lines). The X4 virus restriction was env-dependent but did not occur at the level of viral entry. Here, we describe that in contrast to these monotropic HIVs, primary HIV-1 isolates capable of using CCR5 or CXCR4 indifferently for entry (i.e., R5X4 viruses) efficiently replicated in Th2 but not in Th1 CB lines. Although Th1 cells secreted significantly higher amounts of the three CCR5-binding chemokines in comparison with Th2 cells, this restriction was not explained by a defective infection of Th1 cells. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) down-regulated CCR5 in Th1 cells and inhibited, whereas interleukin-4 (IL-4) up-regulated CXCR4 and enhanced the spreading of R5 and R5X4 viruses in polarized CB lines. However, both cytokines did not rescue the replication of X4 and dualtropic viruses in both types of CB lines or in Th1 cells, respectively, whereas addition of anti-IL-4- or anti-IFN-gamma-neutralizing antibodies did not activate virus expression. These findings together suggest the existence of post-entry restriction pathways influenced by gp120 Env/chemokine coreceptor interaction that may significantly contribute to the superior capacity of R5 and R5X4 HIV-1 strains to spread in vivo in comparison to X4 monotropic viruses.
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PMID:Restricted replication of primary HIV-1 isolates using both CCR5 and CXCR4 in Th2 but not in Th1 CD4(+) T cells. 1242 12

Mechanisms that underly discordant CD4+ cell/virus load (VL) responses in patients who receive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were studied in 30 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, in 3 groups. Discordant responders maintained CD4+ cell levels >200/mm(3) with stable or increasing trend, despite sustained VLs of 500-5000 copies/mL, for >2 years. Treatment-success patients had CD4+ cell counts >200/mm(3) with stable or increasing trend and VLs <50 copies/mL, for >2 years. Treatment-failure patients initially responded to HAART, followed by decreasing CD4+ cell counts and increasing VLs. Interferon-gamma production to gag and noncytolytic CD8+ cell suppressive activity were greater in discordant responders. Cellular activation was greatest in patients with treatment failure. All discordant responders had non-syncytium-inducing (CCR5-tropic) viruses. Viruses from discordant responders and from patients with treatment failure had extensive resistance mutations; discordant responders had significantly lower viral replication capacities. These findings suggest that discordant responses may be related to enhanced HIV-directed immune responses, diminished cellular activation, decreased viral replication capacity, and preservation of non-syncytium-inducing virus strains.
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PMID:Prolonged CD4+ cell/virus load discordance during treatment with protease inhibitor-based highly active antiretroviral therapy: immune response and viral control. 1293 98

Several lines of evidence indicate that a switch of the cytokine pattern from a predominant type 1 (antiviral and cell mediated response) to type 2 (polyclonal humoral immune response) occurs during the course of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection, and represents a key event in the progression of immunodeficiency and dysregulated immune activation. We proposed to further investigate this immunological aspect of HIV-1 disease, in naive and in patients treated with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). The prototypic cytokines chosen were Interleukin (IL)-4 and Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), whose in vitro production was determined in mononuclear cell cultures stimulated with different T lymphocyte mitogenic agents (anti-CD3, Phytohaemoagglutin-P -PHA-, E. coli B04/035 Lipopolysaccharide -LPS-). We classified all the patients on the basis of the number of CD4+ lymphocytes and we found a progressive, even if not significant decrease in the baseline production of IFN-gamma with the progression of the immunodeficiency. The mean value of baseline IFN-gamma in the group of patients with CD4+>500 cells/microL was 7.79 +/- 3.1 pg/mL while in the group with CD4+<200 cells/microL it was 4.66 +/- 2.22. We didn't find significant differences in the baseline production of IL-4 in these groups and in IFN-gamma and IL-4 production in LPS-stimulated cultures. We also re-assessed 12 patients after one year's follow-up. They presented a significant increase in IFN-gamma production compared to the first assessment in the LPS-stimulated cultures (baseline IFN-gamma 2.87 +/- 1.17 pg/mL, after 12 months 19.15 +/- 5.19 pg/mL; p= 0.03). In the 12 patients in follow-up IL-4 production showed a decreased in PHA-stimulated cultures with mean values of 16.65 +/- 14.32 pg/mL at baseline and 6.54 +/- 6.54 pg/mL after follow-up. These results highlight the immunorestoring effects of HAART. IL-4 production was lower in the treated subjects compared to the naive ones in PHA-stimulated cultures (mean values: IL-4=13.42 +/- 11.08 pg/mL in the naive patients and 9.75 +/- 65 pg/mL in the treated patients). The IFN-gamma values in anti-CD3 stimulated cultures were also higher in the treated patients, but this increase was not significant.
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PMID:Interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma production during HIV-1 infection and changes induced by antiretroviral therapy. 1279 7

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) has become an important tool in studying antigen-specific T lymphocyte responses. Soluble peptides can be used to map T-cell epitopes, providing information that is useful in the design and evaluation of vaccines as well as studies of immunopathogenesis. To date, this assay has not been widely utilized in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) research. We have developed a feline IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay and used it to determine FIV-specific T-cell epitopes recognized by infected cats. A panel of 331 peptides, 15 amino acids in length and overlapping by 10 residues was synthesized. The peptide library spanned the FIV structural (Gag), envelope (Env), reverse transcriptase (RT), and open-reading-frame A (OrfA) proteins. Initially, 34 pools, containing 7-10 peptides each were screened by IFN-gamma ELISPOT against peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from eight cats chronically infected with the NCSU(1) molecular clone of FIV and four uninfected control cats. Individual peptides from pools recognized by FIV+ cats were then evaluated and optimal peptides were combined into pools representing Gag, Env, RT, and OrfA. A higher percentage of FIV infected cats were identified as responders against the peptide pools when using fresh PBMC as compared to cryopreserved PBMC. In vitro restimulation of cryopreserved PBMC with the peptide pools improved the sensitivity of the assay to similar levels as observed from fresh samples. Individual peptides used in the pools were generally found to stimulate CD8+ T-cells more efficiently than CD4+ T-cells. Comparison of the peptide sequences to representative FIV sequences from clades A-D showed conservation was high among Gag and RT peptides, variable among Env peptides and low for OrfA peptides. The IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay and FIV-specific peptide pools we describe here will be useful in assessing cell-mediated responses to experimental FIV vaccines.
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PMID:Peptide mapping of feline immunodeficiency virus by IFN-gamma ELISPOT. 1518 95

A human immunodeficiency virus-infected boy with Scedosporium apiospermum otomastoiditis and a girl with diabetes mellitus and Mucor sinusitis and orbital cellulitis had life-threatening disease progression despite antifungal treatment. Interferon-gamma and granulocyte-macrophage or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor were added, with good functional outcome in both children. Adjunctive therapy with interferon-gamma, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor can be considered for refractory invasive fungal infections.
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PMID:Interferon-gamma and colony-stimulating factors as adjuvant therapy for refractory fungal infections in children. 1529 29

Stromal-cell derived factor 1 (SDF1) is a CXC chemokine that binds and signals through the CXCR4 receptor, playing an essential role in embryonic B lymphopoiesis, myelopoiesis and organogenesis. The CXCR4/SDF1 pathway is associated with several pathologies. CXCR4 serves as a fusion cofactor for lymphotropic strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and SDF1 inhibits viral entry. Moreover, recent works suggest an important role for SDF1 in metastasis progression and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. To understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate SDF1 expression, we have cloned and functionally analysed its 5' flanking regulatory region. An SDF1-promoter luciferase construct showed high levels of reporter gene activity in transient transfection experiments. DNase I footprinting analysis revealed that the proximal promoter was occupied by six putative Sp1-binding motifs. Binding of Sp1 to the promoter was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and its importance in SDF1 gene expression verified by in vitro mutagenesis. Particularly, mutation of an Sp1 motif located between -57 and -39 upstream of the main transcription start-site resulted in a marked reduction in promoter activity. It has been shown that the SDF1 expression could be induced by mitogenic stimuli, X-ray radiation or treatment with IL1beta, depending on cell environment. We have analysed the effect of these stimuli on SDF1 promoter transactivation in three different cell lines. Phorbol myristated acetate plus ionomycin increased promoter activity in U373 and LC5 but repressed it in MS5 cells. On the contrary, gamma irradiation promoted SDF1 transcription in MS5 cells but not in the other cell lines. Interferon-gamma acted as a transcriptional repressor in U373 and LC5 but not in MS5 cells. Finally, IL1beta functions as mild activator only in U373 cells. The present study demonstrates that these stimuli mediate SDF1 production through promoter activation in a cell-specific manner.
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PMID:Functional characterization of SDF-1 proximal promoter. 1580 52

Opiates have profound effects on the function of human immune cells and are a possible cofactor in the immunopathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. We investigated the impact of morphine on CD8+ T cell-mediated, noncytotoxic, anti-HIV activity in latently infected human immune cells. Morphine inhibited the noncytotoxic, anti-HIV activity of CD8+ T cells in HIV latently infected cells (U1 and J1.1). Naltrexone abrogated the morphine-mediated, inhibitory effect on the noncytotoxic, anti-HIV activity of CD8+ T cells. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), a potent antiviral cytokine produced by CD8+ T cells, was partially responsible for CD8+ T cell-mediated, noncytotoxic, anti-HIV activity. The anti-HIV activity of IFN-gamma was also compromised by morphine treatment. Further, morphine attenuated CD8+ T cell-mediated suppression of the HIV long-terminal repeat promoter activation. Morphine also inhibited CD8+ T cell-induced expression of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-1, an important transcriptional factor in the IFN signaling pathway. These data provide additional evidence to support the notion that opioids play a role in impairing the anti-HIV function of the immune system.
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PMID:Morphine inhibits CD8+ T cell-mediated, noncytolytic, anti-HIV activity in latently infected immune cells. 1600 Mar 93


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