Inhibition of fungicidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from HIV-infected patients by interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 477
• Main Authors: Tascini, C, Baldelli, F, Monari, C, Retini, C, Pietrella, D, Francisci, D, Bistoni, F, Vecchiarelli, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.05.1996
• Subjects: Adult; Candida albicans - immunology; Cells, Cultured; HIV Infections - immunology; Humans; Interleukin-10 - pharmacology; Interleukin-4 - pharmacology; Neutrophils - immunology; Neutrophils - metabolism; Neutrophils - microbiology; Phagocytosis - drug effects; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Superoxides - metabolism; Zymosan
• ISSN: 0269-9370
• DOI: 10.1097/00002030-199605000-00005

To investigate the effect of human recombinant interleukin (hrIL)-4 or hrIL-10 on the functional status of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) from normal subjects and HIV-infected patients. In an in vitro system we studied the effect of hrIL-4 or hrIL-10 on phagocytosis, fungicidal activity and superoxide anion production by PMNL. PMNL were treated in vitro with hrIL-4 or hrIL-10 or their combination for 6 h and then candidacidal activity was evaluated in a colony-forming unit inhibition assay. Superoxide anion generation by PMNL was measured in the presence or absence of preopsonized zymosan or Candida albicans. Treatment in vitro with hrIL-4 or hrIL-10 of PMNL for 6 h was able to impair candidacidal activity of neutrophils in both normal or HIV-infected patients. The inhibitory effect was time- and dose-dependent and was more evident in PMNL from HIV-infected subjects, and reflected in these latter cells a decrease of superoxide anion generation. The impairment of candidacidal activity in PMNL from HIV-infected patients was accompanied by survival of the yeasts shown by budding formation into phagosomic organelles of cytokine-treated PMNL. Our data highlight new biological effects of IL-4 and IL-10 evidenced by suppressed effector function of neutrophils; this phenomenon is emphasized in HIV-infected patients suggesting a role for these cytokines in mediating increased susceptibility to microbial infection during AIDS progression.