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Preliminary results in HIV-1-infected patients treated with transfer factor (TF) and Zidovudine (ZDV)

Biotherapy volume 9, pages 49–54 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

The efficiency of HIV-1 specific transfer factor (TF) administration, combined with Zidovudine (ZDV), in asymptomatic persistent generalised lymphadenopaty, or AIDS related complex (ARC) patients was evaluated. Twenty patients were randomly assigned to receive only ZDV (1st group) or ZDV together with HIV-1-specific TF (2nd group). HIV-1-specific TF was administered orally at 2 × 107 cell equivalent daily for 15 days, and thereafter once a week for up to 6 months. There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical evolution, red blood cells, haemoglobin, lymphocytes, CD20 subset, transaminases,β-2-microglobulin, p24 antigen. White blood cells, CD8 lymphocytes as well as IL-2 levels increased in the second group, while the CD4 subset increased in the first group. The combination treatment with ZDV and TF appeared to be safe and well tolerated. Furthermore, levels of serum cytokines were investigated in 10 patients (8 asymptomatic and 2 ARC) treated with ZDV, and compared with 5 patients of the 2nd group (3 asymptomatic and 2 ARC) treated with ZDV plus HIV-1-specific TF. Peripheral lymphocytes, CD4, CD8 subsets, IL-2, TNFα, IL-6, p24 antigen, IL-2 soluble lymphocyte receptors (sR), CD4sR, CD8sR and ß-2-microglobulin were evaluated at the baseline and at the 3rd month. The CD4 subset was not significantly different in the two groups, whilst IL-2 increased in the 2nd group receiving ZDV plus TF, suggesting an activation of the Th1 secretion pattern.

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Abbreviations

ARC:

AIDS related complex

B2m:

β-2-microglobulin

c.equ.:

cell equivalent

CMI:

cell-mediated immunity

CDC:

Center for Disease Control

CTL:

cytotoxic T lymphocytes

g:

group

IL:

interleukin

K.I.:

Karnofsky’s index

Lym.:

lymphocytes

m:

month

N.S.:

not significant

pts:

patients

p24Ag:

p24 Antigen

PGL:

persistent generalised lymphadenopaty

RBC:

Red blood cells

SD:

standard deviation

sR:

soluble receptor

TF:

Transfer factor

TNFα :

tumour necrosis factorα

WBC:

white blood cells

ZDV:

Zidovudine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Immunopathology Unit, Clinical Pathology, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy

    Enzo Raise, Luca Guerra, Maria Luisa Schiattone, Leonarda Rocaccio, Maria Cicognani & Francesco Gritti

  2. Laboratoire d’Immunobiologie, Faculté de Médecine des Saints-Pères, Paris, France

    Dimitri Viza

  3. Immunotherapy Unit, 1st Division of Urology, Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy

    Giancarlo Pizza & Caterina De Vinci

Authors
  1. Enzo Raise
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  2. Luca Guerra
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  3. Dimitri Viza
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  4. Giancarlo Pizza
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  5. Caterina De Vinci
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  6. Maria Luisa Schiattone
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  7. Leonarda Rocaccio
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  8. Maria Cicognani
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  9. Francesco Gritti
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Raise, E., Guerra, L., Viza, D. et al. Preliminary results in HIV-1-infected patients treated with transfer factor (TF) and Zidovudine (ZDV). Biotherapy 9, 49–54 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628656

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628656

Key words

  • Cell-mediated immunity
  • HIV
  • Th1
  • Th2
  • transfer factor
  • zidovudine