Abstract
Immunological studies in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)positive patients suggest that the disease progression is accompanied by a defective production of type 1 cytokines [interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12], an increased production of type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10), and an increased production of IgE. HIV infection is also associated with activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function and increased plasma and urinary cortisol concentrations. As cortisol is involved in the physiological regulation of cytekines, a study was conducted to examine cytokine patterns in two groups of hypercortisolemic patients, one with normal sensitivity to glucocorticoids and the other with glucocorticoid resistance. Ten HIV- infected patients with normal receptor affinity to glucocorticoids AIDS-C), 10 HIV-infected patients with low receptor affinity to glucocorticoids (AIDS- GR), and 20 healthy subjects were studied. Receptor characteristics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated by [3H]dexamethasone binding. Serum cortisol and urinary free cortisol were measured by RIA. Serum ACTH and IgE were measured by immunoradiometric assay, and IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 cytokines and interferon-γ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AIDS-C patients showed low IL-2 and high IL-4, IL-10, and IgE concentrations: conversely, AIDS-GR patients showed high IL-2 and low IL-4 and IgE concentrations. Thus, in HIV infection, elevated cortisol levels suppress cell-mediated immunity and stimulate humoral immunity, whereas this response is not detected in cortisol-resistant patients. These findings indicate that cortisol and its receptors are critically involved in the regulation of immune function in HIV infection.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3260-3263 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism |
| Volume | 82 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1997 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Cite this
Glucocorticoids and the immune function in the human immunodeficiency virus infection : A study in hypercortisolemic and cortisol-resistant patients. / Norbiato, Guido; Bevilacqua, Maurizio; Vago, Tarcisio; Taddei, Alessandra; Clerici, Mario.
In: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol. 82, No. 10, 1997, p. 3260-3263.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Glucocorticoids and the immune function in the human immunodeficiency virus infection
T2 - A study in hypercortisolemic and cortisol-resistant patients
AU - Norbiato, Guido
AU - Bevilacqua, Maurizio
AU - Vago, Tarcisio
AU - Taddei, Alessandra
AU - Clerici, Mario
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Immunological studies in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)positive patients suggest that the disease progression is accompanied by a defective production of type 1 cytokines [interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12], an increased production of type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10), and an increased production of IgE. HIV infection is also associated with activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function and increased plasma and urinary cortisol concentrations. As cortisol is involved in the physiological regulation of cytekines, a study was conducted to examine cytokine patterns in two groups of hypercortisolemic patients, one with normal sensitivity to glucocorticoids and the other with glucocorticoid resistance. Ten HIV- infected patients with normal receptor affinity to glucocorticoids AIDS-C), 10 HIV-infected patients with low receptor affinity to glucocorticoids (AIDS- GR), and 20 healthy subjects were studied. Receptor characteristics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated by [3H]dexamethasone binding. Serum cortisol and urinary free cortisol were measured by RIA. Serum ACTH and IgE were measured by immunoradiometric assay, and IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 cytokines and interferon-γ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AIDS-C patients showed low IL-2 and high IL-4, IL-10, and IgE concentrations: conversely, AIDS-GR patients showed high IL-2 and low IL-4 and IgE concentrations. Thus, in HIV infection, elevated cortisol levels suppress cell-mediated immunity and stimulate humoral immunity, whereas this response is not detected in cortisol-resistant patients. These findings indicate that cortisol and its receptors are critically involved in the regulation of immune function in HIV infection.
AB - Immunological studies in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)positive patients suggest that the disease progression is accompanied by a defective production of type 1 cytokines [interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12], an increased production of type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10), and an increased production of IgE. HIV infection is also associated with activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function and increased plasma and urinary cortisol concentrations. As cortisol is involved in the physiological regulation of cytekines, a study was conducted to examine cytokine patterns in two groups of hypercortisolemic patients, one with normal sensitivity to glucocorticoids and the other with glucocorticoid resistance. Ten HIV- infected patients with normal receptor affinity to glucocorticoids AIDS-C), 10 HIV-infected patients with low receptor affinity to glucocorticoids (AIDS- GR), and 20 healthy subjects were studied. Receptor characteristics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated by [3H]dexamethasone binding. Serum cortisol and urinary free cortisol were measured by RIA. Serum ACTH and IgE were measured by immunoradiometric assay, and IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 cytokines and interferon-γ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AIDS-C patients showed low IL-2 and high IL-4, IL-10, and IgE concentrations: conversely, AIDS-GR patients showed high IL-2 and low IL-4 and IgE concentrations. Thus, in HIV infection, elevated cortisol levels suppress cell-mediated immunity and stimulate humoral immunity, whereas this response is not detected in cortisol-resistant patients. These findings indicate that cortisol and its receptors are critically involved in the regulation of immune function in HIV infection.
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U2 - 10.1210/jc.82.10.3260
DO - 10.1210/jc.82.10.3260
M3 - Article
C2 - 9329349
AN - SCOPUS:0030921774
VL - 82
SP - 3260
EP - 3263
JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
SN - 0021-972X
IS - 10
ER -