Immunosuppression and HIV Infection: A Therapeutic Challenge

The optimal use of biological response modifiers(BRMs) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related disease depends on knowledge of the molecularbasis of the immune deficiencies and dysregulations that occur during the course of the infection; evidencefor the role of viral products and cytokines in the suppression of immune function is discussed. Immunebasedtherapies are currently being explored alone and in combination with drugs targeted to HIV andassociated opportunistic infections and malignancies. These therapies include hematopoietic growthfactors for the management of drug toxicities, cytokines, antigen- and cell-based therapies, and syntheticimmunomodulators. The entry of additional BRMs into clinical trials for HIV-disease can be facilitated bywell-designed preclinical studies that address special problems related to the disease. including the needfor concomitant therapy for the spectrum of disease manifestations encountered