Decreased short-term production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive subjects.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) were measured by ELISA in 4.5-h, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood cultures of 347 human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients and 107 healthy seronegative controls. The production of TNF-alpha was decreased in both AIDS and non-AIDS patients, whereas the production of IL-1beta was decreased in AIDS patients only. The production of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta was positively affected by the concentrations of CD14+ monocytes and CD8+ lymphocytes; however, in patients, the concentration of CD4+ lymphocytes and the presence of AIDS had a negative effect on cytokine production as determined by multiple linear regression analysis. It is concluded that low whole blood cytokine production is mainly caused by low numbers of cells, but a functional defect may also exist.