ABSTRACT
This work attempats to clarify the mechanisms to functional impairment of natural killer activity in individuals with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and those at high risk of developing AIDS (R-AIDS). We examined the effect pf lymphokine rich supernatants (SN) on effector cells from these individuals. Mononuclear cells (CM) from R-AIDS were more susceptible to stimulation with these SN. When we studied the role of different T lymphocytes subsets in the regulation of NK activity, the results indicate that the effect of SN was the combination of opposite effects. We also studied the ability of CM from patients with Hemophilia (He) to incresase NK cytotoxicity upon stimulation with physiological and non physiological agents (IL-2,IFNa and y, Poly I:Cor PMA). The response was impaired in HIV+, especially in HIV+ with symptoms. Our results also demonstrate that NK cells with slight lytic activity (Leu7 + CD16 -) predominated in HIV+. On the other hand, the ocurrence of IL-2 receptor positive cells was similarly high in both HIV+and HIV- individuals compared to N controls. Analysis of NK activity in several individuals studied after a 2-year period revealed that this function was deteriorated with disease progression. The effect of positive or negative sera for the HIV from. He on normal NK activity was analyzed. We showd that sera from He interfered with normal NK activity. The inhibitory effect found, was higher in HIV+ sera and increased as HIV disease progressed. When the same concentration of DEAE-purified IgG was used, we found that HIV+ AIDS IgG was more inhibitory than the others