Circulating Interferon Gamma in AIDS Patients Treated with Interleukin-2

To the Editor: In response to specific microbial antigens, T cells from patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and opportunistic infections fail to secrete interferon gamma, 1 a lymphokine that enhances mononuclear phagocyte antimicrobial activity. 2 This is not surprising, since antigen-triggered production of interferon gamma is largely dependent on interleukin-2, 3 T cells in patients with AIDS have grossly defective interleukin-2 secretion, 4 , 5 and functionally intact T4 + cells are required for antigen-stimulated interleukin-2 and interferon gamma generation. 3 4 5 In vitro, interleukin-2 directly stimulates normal T cells, but not those from patients with AIDS, to secrete interferon gamma 4 ; however, we now report that . . .