SECRETORY REPERTOIRE OF HIV-INFECTED HUMAN MONOCYTES MACROPHAGES

Apart from lymphocytes, mononuclear phagocytes play an essential role as target cells for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Circulating blood monocytes (MOs) and tissue macrophages (M-phi) may harbor and distribute the virus throughout the body. In addition, proinflammatory monokines [interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)] may contribute to the pathogenesis of HIV-mediated diseases. We have established a culture system on hydrophobic Teflon membranes for blood-borne MOs/M-phi. Both freshly isolated MOs as well as MO-derived M-phi could be infected with a monocytotropic HIV-1 isolate (HIV-1D117III) derived from a perinatally infected child. The virus production monitored by assay for viral antigen in cell-free supernatant is continuous for several weeks. We analyzed the stimulus response and the secretory repertoire of MOs/M-phi early after infection with HIV as well as in long-term cultured, virus-replicating cells. Infected MOs/M-phi respond to interferon-gamma more effectively than control cells as estimated from the release of neopterin. The response to lipopolysaccharide was regulated differently: whereas the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha were up-regulated and even constitutively secreted upon infection, the production of the hematopoietin macrophage-colony-stimulating factor decreased. High levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 might augment the infectibility of M-phi by HIV in an autocrine manner. Our results may provide some explanation for the immunologic dysfunction, the hematopoietic failure and the chronic inflammatory disease occurring in HIV-infected patients.