Effects of serum from HIV-infected subjects on the functional activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

The oxidative capacity of polymorphonuclears neutrophils (PMN) was assessed in 17 subjects with asymptomatic infection (AI), 16 patients with acquired immnunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 12 healthy normal subjects using a quantitative Nitroblue Tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test. The effect of the serum of patients on the functional activity of normal and patients' PMN was also investigated. The NBT reduction non stimulated and stimulated with zymosan particles in presence of normal serum was similar to normal controls in both groups of patients. The serum from 11 out of the 17 AI subjects (65%) induced an increase while the serum from 8 out of the 16 AIDS patients (50%) induced a diminution in the stimulated NBT reduction in normal and patients' PMN. Those effects did no, appear to be related to complement C3 and circulating immune complexes levels. These results are indicating that PMN of HIV-seropositive patients do not present an intrinsic disfunction and that the impact of serum factor/s affects the normal functionalism of these cells depending on the infection stages.