Cytokine dysregulation in AIDS: in vivo overexpression of mRNA of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and its correlation with that of the inflammatory cytokine GRO
Dezube, B.J.; Pardee, A.B.; Beckett, L.A.; Ahlers, C.M.; Ecto, L.; Allen-Ryan, J.; Anisowicz, A.; Sager, R.; Crumpacker, C.S.
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 5(11): 1099-1104
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0894-9255 PMID: 1403638 Document Number: 397965
The human immunodeficiency virus establishes an intimate interaction with the immune system. The virus can use cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (Il-1), to regulate its own expression by modifying the normal immunoregulatory network. We demonstrate that mRNA of the cytokine TNF-alpha from peripheral blood mononuclear cells is overexpressed in virtually all patients with AIDS who do not have active opportunistic infections compared with uninfected volunteers (p < 0.0001). This overexpression correlates with elevated mRNA levels of the recently discovered GRO (p < 0.05), a cytokine involved in the inflammatory response.