       Document 0792
 DOCN  M9610792
 TI    Virus-specific antibody production and polyclonal B-cell activation in
       the intestinal mucosa of HIV-infected individuals.
 DT    9601
 AU    Eriksson K; Kilander A; Hagberg L; Norkrans G; Holmgren J; Czerkinsky C;
       Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of;
       Goteborg, Sweden.
 SO    AIDS. 1995 Jul;9(7):695-700. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96035231
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To examine possible changes in mucosal B-cell activation
       status. DESIGN: To examine the frequency and isotype distribution of
       total and HIV-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) in the intestinal
       mucosa of HIV-infected individuals. METHODS: Mucosal lymphocytes were
       obtained by enzymatic treatment of duodenal pinch biopsies and the
       numbers of ASC were assayed with the enzyme-linked immunospot technique.
       RESULTS: High numbers of HIV-specific ASC were found in the intestine of
       all HIV-infected individuals despite low levels of HIV-specific blood
       ASC. All HIV-infected individuals had large numbers of intestinal
       immunoglobulin (Ig) A-ASC against the HIV envelope glycoprotein gp160.
       Eight out of nine patients also had HIV gp160-specific intestinal
       IgG-ASC. These HIV-specific ASC were detected irrespective of disease
       stage, route of infection, or levels of circulating CD4+ T cells.
       HIV-specific ASC were found in peripheral blood from patients with CD4+
       T cells > or = 100 x 10(6)/l blood, but in none of three patients with
       low CD4+ T-cell counts. The frequencies of virus-specific ASC in the
       blood were on average 100-fold lower than that observed within the
       intestinal mucosa. Mucosal polyclonal B-cell activation was evident in
       HIV-infected individuals, as documented by significantly elevated
       numbers of Ig-secreting cells (ISC) in all three major Ig classes; on
       average, seven-, five- and 20-fold numbers of IgA, IgG and IgM-ISC
       compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, substantial numbers of ASC
       reacting with unrelated antigens such as dog albumin and keyhole limpet
       haemocyanin were detected in HIV-infected patients. Interestingly,
       patients with CD4+ T cells < 100 x 10(6)/l blood displayed large numbers
       of HIV-specific intestinal ASC even though total numbers of ISC,
       including ASC reactive to unrelated antigens, were decreased.
       CONCLUSIONS: The large numbers of virus-specific ASC found in the
       intestine of HIV-infected individuals may be a consequence of local
       replication of HIV-1 resulting in a continuous antigen stimulation. The
       persistence of strong intestinal anti-HIV responses even at late stages
       of disease suggest that the mucosal B-cell responses are functionally
       intact throughout the disease. Furthermore, these results suggest that
       there is no correlation between HIV-specific ASC numbers and polyclonal
       B-cell activation. These observations indicate that intestinal B-cell
       activation is profoundly disregulated in HIV-infected individuals.
 DE    Antibodies, Viral/*ANALYSIS  Antibody Formation  Antibody-Producing
       Cells/*IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY/VIROLOGY
       B-Lymphocytes/*IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY/VIROLOGY  Female  Gene Products,
       env/IMMUNOLOGY  Human  HIV Infections/*IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY/VIROLOGY
       Intestinal Mucosa/*IMMUNOLOGY/PATHOLOGY/VIROLOGY  *Lymphocyte
       Transformation  Male  Protein Precursors/IMMUNOLOGY  Support, Non-U.S.
       Gov't  Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

