Abstract
Objective: To determine whether treatment with growth hormone (GH) enhances thymopoiesis in individuals infected with HIV-1. Methods: Five HIV-1-infected adults were treated with GH for 6-12 months in a prospective open-label study. Immunological analyses were performed before GH treatment and repeated at 3 month intervals after GH initiation. Thymic mass was analysed using computed tomography with quantitative density and volume analysis. Analysis of circulating lymphocytes, including naive and memory T cell subsets, was performed using multiparameter flow cytometry. Results: GH treatment was associated with a marked increase in thymic mass in all GH recipients. Circulating naive CD4 T cells also increased significantly in all patients during GH therapy, suggesting an enhancement of thymopoiesis. Conclusion: GH has significant effects on the human immune system, including the reversal of thymic atrophy in HIV-1-infected adults. De-novo T cell production may thus be inducible in immunodeficient adults.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1103-1111 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | AIDS |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 24 2002 |
Keywords
- AIDS
- CD4 T cells
- Growth hormone
- Immune reconstitution
- Immune-based therapy
- Thymus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases