A Glycoprotein Inhibitor of In Vitro Granulopoiesis Associated With AIDS

Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often present with neutropenia. To elucidate the mechanism(s) of this HIV-related neutropenia, we assessed the proliferative capacity of the granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cell (CFU-GM) from the bone marrow (BM) of 78 patients within the AIDS spectrum manifesting symptoms or signs related to HIV infection. Of these, 70 had a significant deficit in the growth of this committed progenitor when compared with normal controls (P .4). Analysis of these conditioned media by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) revealed a unique glycoprotein (gp) with a mol wt of 84 kd. Further studies revealed that this gp possessed the inhibitory activity. These data suggest that this gp may be an important factor in HIV-related neutropenia. The presence of gp84 was independent of drugs administered to the patients. © 1987 by Grune & Stratton, Inc.