IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α profile and immunological changes in North-Eastern Ukrainian HIV-infected individuals

BackgroundCytokines play an important role in controlling the homeostasis of the immune system in HIV infection. The measurement cytokines in patients with HIV may provide additional information to complement prognostic markers and understand disease procession. Aim of the study was to determine IL-4, IL-10 and TNF-α profiles in plasma of HIV-infected individuals with different CD4 T-cell levels.MethodsQuantitative level detection of IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α was carried out by ELISA (test systems “Vektor-Best”, RF) in 78 HIV-infected people (group I: 35 persons with level of T-helpers ≥350 cells/μL; group II: 43 persons with level of T-helpers ≤200 cells/μL).ResultsHIV-infection was associated with an increase in plasma levels of TNF-α and IL-10. Immune imbalance due to changes in concentrations of cytokines is more pronounced in HIV-infected individuals with severe immunosuppression with CD4 T lymphocyte counts ≤200 cells/μL. No significant difference in IL-4 between surveyed troops and comparison group was found.ConclusionImmunological status of the patients with HIV is characterized by inefficiency of cellular compartment with imbalance of relation of immunocompetent cells and increased production of proinflammatory TNF-α and anti-inflammatory IL-10.