Open AccessInfluences of related retroviruses on lymphocyte functions
Author(s) -
Chirmule Narendra,
Saxinger Carl,
Pahwa Savita
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1989.tb02392.x
Subject(s) - biology , polyclonal antibodies , immune system , b cell , t cell , antibody , virus , virology , immunology , antigen , pokeweed mitogen , lymphocyte , t lymphocyte , cell culture , in vitro , genetics , peripheral blood mononuclear cell
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV‐1) is known to be profoundly immunosuppressive [Spickett and Dalgleish (1988) Clin. Exp. Immunol. 71, 1]. In this communication, we have studied the influences of HIV‐1 (BH10), HIV‐2 (LAV‐2) and STLV‐3 on B and T cells from healthy volunteers. B lymphocytes were found to differentiate into immunoglobulin secreting cells in response to stimulation by proteins of HIV‐1 and LAV‐2, but not by STLV‐3. This response was obtained at protein concentrations of 0.05‐0.005 μg/ml and was T cell dependent. IgM secretion was induced only by HIV‐1 in the EBV‐transformed B cell line SKW 6.4. At higher concentrations all three retroviral preparations had inhibitory influences on functions of B as well as T lymphocytes. B cell differentiation was maximally inhibited by HIV‐1 and LAV‐2 when these proteins were added concurrently to cultures with the polyclonal B cell activators pokeweed mitogen or Epstein‐Barr virus. Tetanus antigen‐specific T cell lymphoproliferation was inhibited by all retroviral proteins. These findings suggest that related retroviruses differ in their capacity to influence normal immune responses.