Цитокины способны регулировать процессы репликации ВИЧ-1 и апоптоза лимфоцитов in vitro

Aim. To study the ability of cytokines — interleukin-2, interleukin-7 and tumor necrosis factor alpha to induce human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication and lymphocyte apoptosis in vitro. Methods. Peripheral blood mononuclears were separated by centrifugation on a ficoll paque solution specific density gradient. Lymphocytes were cultivated in RPMI 1640 medium with addition of L-glutamine, embryonal bovine serum, antibiotics and cytokines (interleukines-2, -4, -7, tumor necrosis factor alpha). To infect the lymphocytes, a laboratory strain of HIV-1 NL4-3 (NIH ResR (2) increase in phosphatidyl serine molecules expression. Lymphocyte activation was assessed by CD25 and HLA-DR molecules expression (flow cytometry). Results. Cytokines induce the HIV-1 replication in lymphocytes in vitro. HIV-1 replication was noted only if inactivated lymphocytes were present in the culture. At the same time, lymphocytes not expressing the classical activation markers (CD25 and HLA-DR) were present among the lymphocytes producing HIV-1 indicating the possible alternative mechanism of HIV-1 replication, not dependent on cell activation. This fact might also be an evidence of viral replication processes in the pool of latently-infected lymphocytes, not expressing the classic activation markers. The abovementioned cytokines promote apoptotic death of uninfected lymphocytes in vitro, backing up the infected cells viability and thus promoting HIV-1 replication. Conclusion. Cytokines (interleukines-2, -4, -7, tumor necrosis factor alpha) which are known as factors supporting the immune system homeostasis and immune response formation, might also play a negative role in HIV-1 pathogenesis — induce HIV-1 replication in lymphocytes and, probably, lead to reactivation of the pool of latently-infected lymphocytes, deepening the lymphopenia and leading to disease progression.