Wounded.Bird@f38.n135.z1.fidonet.org (Wounded Bird) (08/28/90)
Several months ago I posed a question about a fellow who had been diagnosed as having both Lupus and AIDS. I received inquiries indicating an apparent dichotomy. Aids suppresses the immune system and Lupus is a condition where the immune system attacks cells of the person's body. "Mobilizing Against Aids" brings forth some data which may explain the above. Researchers (Lane et al (1) below) have noted an abnormally high number of fully differentiated, antibody secreting B cells in patients with AIDS. These cells are not able to respond to new antigens that enter the body......"If all the specialized response teams are out answering false alarms, they would not be available when an emergency arose that required their unique skills. Similarly, the B cells in HIV infected patients are busily producing unnecessary antibodies and are not able to respond when a real need arises." "This hyperactivity diminishes the ability of HIV-infected patients to resist disease and also complicates the diagnoses of many oportunistic infections, because the patient does not make detectable antbodies against invading viruses or bacteria. ALSO, THE PRESENCE OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF SUPERFLUOUS ANTIBODY INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN AUTOIMMUNE REACTION, IN WHICH THE BODY BEGINS TO ATTACK ITSELF." [emphasis added by W.B.] "The reasons for the abnormal activation of B lymphocytes in HIV infection remain unclear. {sorry Adam :)} Initially, it was thought to result from a concurrent infection with cytomegalovirus or Epstein-Barr virus; both are present in the majority of HIV-infected patients, and both have been shown to cause B-cell hyperactivity. Further studies have shown, however, that HIV itself can trigger such a response."............. ".....Gendleman and his colleagues also have demonstrated that cells infected with both HIV and another virus (such as cytomegalovirus,Epstein-Barr virus, Hepatitus B virus, and herpes simplex virus) produce significantly more HIV proteins than do cells infected with HIV alone." (2) References: (1) -Lane,Masur, Edgar, Whalen, Rook and Fauci, "Abnormalities of B-Cell Activation and immunoregulation in Patients with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, "NEJM 309 (1983):453-458 (2) Gendleman, Phelps, Freignbaum, et. al, "Transactivation of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus terminal Repeat Sequence by DNA Viruses", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 83 (1986):9759-9763 SEEN-BY: -- Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!asuvax!stjhmc!135!38!Wounded.Bird Internet: Wounded.Bird@f38.n135.z1.fidonet.org