Interleukin 1 Activity in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Interleukin 1 (IL‐1) is a monocyte‐derived mediator that participates in the regulation of various T‐lymphocyte activities, among them IL‐2 production. Since IL‐2 deficiency is a central feature in the immunological profile of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the production of IL‐1 from peripheral blood monocytes from male homosexuals with AIDS was investigated at the same time as the IL‐1 responsiveness of monocyte‐depleted mononuclear cells (MDC) from the same patients. The IL‐1 was produced by lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated monocytes and assayed by the capacity of monocyte supernatants to amplify the proliferation of phytohaemagglutinin‐stimulated allogeneic MDC from healthy donors as well as murine thymocytes. The IL‐1 responsiveness was measured by measuring the enhancing effect of an IL‐1 standard on the proliferative response of patients' MDC. The IL‐1 production was not reduced compared to the IL‐1 production in a control group, but the IL‐1 responsiveness of the patients' MDC was depressed. The results indicate that depressed IL‐1 production is not one of the immunological disturbances in AIDS, hut that the T‐lympho $$ γ properties $$ IL‐1 are affected.