Document 0192
 DOCN  M9590192
 TI    The role of macrophages in the progression of HIV infection.
 DT    9509
 AU    Cunningham AL; Virology Department, University of Sydney, Westmead
       Hospital.
 SO    Annu Conf Australas Soc HIV Med. 1994 Nov 3-6;6:83 (unnumbered
       abstract). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASHM6/95291907
 AB    Macrophages in tissues and body fluids are a major cell target for HIV
       infection. HIV infected macrophages probably facilitate sexual and
       vertical transmission and contribute to the total body HIV load,
       especially as the infection is usually noncytopathic, mostly
       intracellular and less productive than with activated HIV infected CD4
       cells. Hence macrophages are considered to be a major HIV reservoir in
       the brain, and also in spleen, lymph nodes, bone morrow, liver and
       intestines. Increase in the total macrophage HIV load probably
       contributes to progressing HIV infection/disease. This can be affected
       by the nature of the viral strain, some growing to very high levels in
       macrophages, or by host genetic factors which determine the level of HIV
       replication, as shown in our twin studies. Macrophages in different
       tissue locations also differ in susceptibility to HIV with placental
       macrophages being relatively resistant to HIV infection. The tissue
       cytokine milieu is likely to affect local macrophage HIV load as some
       cytokines are stimulatory (IL-1, 2, 4, 6, TNF alpha) and other
       inhibitory (IL10, IFN alpha, beta, gamma) in vitro. The recently
       reported predominance of TH2 cytokines and also high TNF alpha levels in
       progressing HIV infection will also influence macrophage HIV loads with
       the outcome depending upon the balance of stimulatory and inhibitory
       cytokines in individual patients.
 DE    Cytokines/*PHYSIOLOGY  Disease Transmission, Vertical  Female  Human
       HIV/PATHOGENICITY  HIV Infections/*IMMUNOLOGY/TRANSMISSION/VIROLOGY
       Infant, Newborn  Macrophages/*IMMUNOLOGY/VIROLOGY  Pregnancy  Virus
       Replication/IMMUNOLOGY  MEETING ABSTRACT

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