Inhibition of immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha by a chimeric antibody in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a proinflammatory cytokine known to stimulate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection. Inhibition of TNF-alpha by a chimeric humanized monoclonal antibody, cA2, was investigated in 6 HIV-1-infected patients with CD4 cell counts < 200/mm3. Two consecutive infusions of 10 mg/kg 14 days apart were well tolerated, and a prolonged serum half-life for cA2 (mean, 257 +/- 70 h) was demonstrated. Serum immunoreactive TNF-alpha concentrations fell from a mean prestudy value of 6.4 pg/mL (range, 4.2-7.9) to 1.1 pg/mL (range, 0.5-2.2) 24 h after the first infusion and returned to baseline within 7-14 days. A similar response was seen after the second infusion. No consistent changes in CD4 cell counts or plasma HIV RNA levels were observed over 42 days. Future studies evaluating the therapeutic utility of long-term TNF-alpha suppression using anti-TNF-alpha antibodies are feasible and warranted.