Document 2916
 DOCN  M94A2916
 TI    Stressful life events, cortisol and cellular immune changes in
       asymptomatic, HIV infected individuals.
 DT    9412
 AU    Petitto J; Lesserman J; Perkins D; Golden J; Folds J; Evans D; Univ. of
       Florida, Gainesville 32610.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):195 (abstract no. PB0209). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369659
 AB    Early HIV infection may produce functional changes in key
       immunoregulatory cells including T helper cells and macrophages, cells
       which may harbor the virus, as well as alter the numbers and function of
       cytotoxic killer cells including NK cells and cytotoxic T cells. We have
       employed both flow cytometric enumerative and functional immune assays
       to begin to determine whether stressful life events may result in
       changes in the phentotypic expression and function of several important
       parameters of immune status. In asymptomatic HIV+ homosexual men, severe
       life stressors correlated significantly with lower numbers of peripheral
       blood cytotoxic/suppressor T cells, particularly those which express the
       CD57 surface antigen. Reductions in both CD16+ and CD56+ NK cell
       populations also correlated inversely with such stressors. Severe life
       stressors did not correlate with T helper/inducer cell numbers or levels
       of cytokines produced by macrophages/monocytes and T helper/inducer
       cells. The most robust effects of stress were found among subjects
       exhibiting high basal cortisol levels, whereas stress did not
       significantly modify these immune measures in subjects with low basal
       cortisol concentrations. These stress related alterations in killer
       lymphocytes early in the course of infection may have relevance for the
       progression of HIV diseases.
 DE    Human  Hydrocortisone/*BLOOD  HIV
       Infections/BLOOD/COMPLICATIONS/*IMMUNOLOGY/PSYCHOLOGY  Immunity,
       Cellular  Immunophenotyping  Killer Cells, Natural/*IMMUNOLOGY
       Leukocyte Count  *Life Change Events  Male  *Neuroimmunomodulation
       Stress, Psychological/BLOOD/COMPLICATIONS/*IMMUNOLOGY  T-Lymphocyte
       Subsets/*IMMUNOLOGY  MEETING ABSTRACT

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