Abstract
In Japan, the proportion of hemophiliacs infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is 40%, whereas more than 90% are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). To evaluate the immunological status of hemophiliacs infected with HIV-1, we investigated the pattern of cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM Cs) of HIV-1-seropositive and-seronegative hemophiliacs, HIV-1-seropositive nonhemophiliacs, and healthy individuals. The production of IL-18 and IL-1 beta from PBMCs stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain 1 (SAC) in the HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs was significantly decreased in comparison with the other groups. On the other hand, IL-12 production in both HIV-1-seropositive groups was significantly lower than in HIV-1-seronegative groups. TNF-alpha and IL-6 production was similar among the four groups. In contrast, plasma levels of TGF-beta1 were increased in HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs, HIV-1-seropositive nonhemophiliacs, and HIV-1-seronegative hemophiliacs, with the highest levels being in HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs, suggesting that coinfection with HIV-1 and HCV increases the level of plasma TGF-beta in HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs. Treatment of PBM Cs from healthy individuals with TGF-beta1 inhibited IL-18 and IL-1 beta production without affecting IL-6, IL-10, or TNF-alpha production. Suppression of the expression of caspase 1 mRNA, which is known to be an IL-1 beta-converting enzyme and which also cleaves the precursor of IL-18, was observed in the SAC-stimulated PBMCs from healthy individuals after treatment with TGF-beta1 and in the SAC-stimulated PBM Cs from HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs, suggesting that the decreased production of IL-18 and IL-1 beta in HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs may be related to the downregulation of caspase 1 mRNA induced by high levels of TGF-beta1 in plasma.
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