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Hypothesis explaining simultaneous development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and malignant tumors
1Research Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
A possible mechanism for explanation of the simultaneous development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and malignant tumors may be based on the cell-fusion process with the participation of immunocompetent cells. If the fusion proceeds with a high intensity, i.e. a great number of cells (including immunocompetent cells) are involved in the process, it will cause a rise in multinuclear formations-polykaryocytes. Since polykaryocytes are incapable of proliferation, their formation is equivalent to elimination of immunocompetent cells and may lead to immunodeficiency. If the intensity of fusion is low, the occurrence of binuclear formations- dikaryons-seems more frequent. We have shown (1) a possibility of the transformation of dikaryons into tumor cells under certain conditions and since immunocompetent cells are dominant by their phenotypic properties the malignant cells in AIDS should have mainly macrophage, lymphoid or intermediate morphology. Even low doses of various chemical carcinogens may cause malignancy by the formation of special defects in plasma membrane which promote cell fusion, whereas under high doses of carcinogens (or high intensity of their action) the formation of polykaryocytes and the development of immunodeficiency seem more probable, though it does not exclude the possibility of cancer development.
A possible mechanism for explanation of the simultaneous development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and malignant tumors may be based on the cell-fusion process with the participation of immunocompetent cells. If the fusion proceeds with a high intensity, i.e. a great number of cells (including immunocompetent cells) are involved in the process, it will cause a rise in multinuclear formations-polykaryocytes. Since polykaryocytes are incapable of proliferation, their formation is equivalent to elimination of immunocompetent cells and may lead to immunodeficiency. If the intensity of fusion is low, the occurrence of binuclear formations- dikaryons-seems more frequent. We have shown (1) a possibility of the transformation of dikaryons into tumor cells under certain conditions and since immunocompetent cells are dominant by their phenotypic properties the malignant cells in AIDS should have mainly macrophage, lymphoid or intermediate morphology. Even low doses of various chemical carcinogens may cause malignancy by the formation of special defects in plasma membrane which promote cell fusion, whereas under high doses of carcinogens (or high intensity of their action) the formation of polykaryocytes and the development of immunodeficiency seem more probable, though it does not exclude the possibility of cancer development.