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In Vitro Assay to Evaluate the Impact of Immunoregulatory Pathways on HIV-specific CD4 T Cell Effector Function
Published on: October 16, 2013
Human immunodeficiency virus gp120 inhibits interleukin-12 secretion by human monocytes: an indirect
1Laboratoire Virus, Neurones et Immunité, Université Paris-Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
Abstract:
Interleukin-12 (IL-12), a cytokine with in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory effects, is produced mostly by activated monocytes and macrophages. To study the effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on IL-12 production, we investigated the expression of IL-12 at mRNA and protein levels by human monocytes preincubated with HIV-gp120. In these conditions, we show that monocytes have a decreased ability to express IL-12 mRNA subunits and to produce IL-12 p40 and bioactive p70 proteins in response to Staphylococcus aureus strain cowan I (SAC). We showed that in human monocyte cultures, HIV-gp120 induces a significant IL-10 synthesis, which in turn inhibits IL-12 subunits mRNA accumulation and protein secretion after SAC-activation. Similar data were obtained with human macrophages. These results suggest that, during HIV infection, gp120 induces in uninfected monocytes and macrophages IL-10/IL-12 disregulation, which can alter immune response.
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