Cytokine-mediated regulation of monocyte/macrophage cytotoxicity in human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection

Monocyte/macrophage-mediated tumor cytotoxicity was studied in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) at various stages [Center for disease control (CDC) classification] of the disease. using the P-815 tumor cell line as target cells, the results demonstrated reduced monocyte/macrophage cytotoxicity early in HIV-1-related disease (CDCIII, P < 0.01). This cellular dysfunction sustained during the progression of the disease. Evidence could be presented that neither exogenous application of macrophage-stimulating cytokines (e.g. interferons) nor their endogenous induction in vitro restored monocyte/macrophage cytotoxicity. However, enhanced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production, which parallels the observed reduced capacity to lyse P-815 tumor cells, might be the major source for monocyte/macrophage-mediated cell lysis. TNF-alpha-induced cytotoxicity can be inhibited by addition of anti-TNF-alpha. Other experimental models using TNF-sensitive tumor target cells may, therefore, mimic monocyte/macrophage-mediated lysis. Suppression of monocyte/macrophage cytotoxicity in later stages of HIV-1 infection (AIDS-related complex, AIDS) could partly be reverted by treatment with the cyclooxygenase blocker, indomethacin. The responsible arachidonic acid product mediating suppression was found to be prostaglandin E2, suggesting that in addition to the direct viral interference cellular dysfunction is at least in part a result of altered cytokine regulation.