Reduced apoptosis by pentoxiphylline among patients with HIV infection

A. Wanchu, A. Bhatnagar, B. Kumar, P. Bambery, S. Singh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Apoptosis is a significant cause of CD4+ T cell death. Caspase 8 (FLICE) is involved in apoptosis mediated by Fas and p55 tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor ligation. It is also partially mediated by interleukin-1beta (IL-1β)-converting enzyme (ICE; caspase 1). We and others have shown that pentoxiphylline inhibits TNF-α. We used it among patients with HIV infection to determine if 24 weeks of therapy altered the levels of caspase 1 and caspase 8. Patients and methods: Nineteen HIV-infected patients having no opportunistic infection at the time of recruitment were administered pentoxiphylline 400 mg thrice daily for 24 weeks. Caspase levels were measured using a single-step ELISA using commercially available monoclonal antibodies against caspase 1 and caspase 8. Results: Mean CD4 counts of the patients were 202.6±111.6 (/mm3). Mean OD value of caspase 1 among patients before therapy was 0.302±0.197 and was higher than that of controls (0.287±0.064), but this was not statistically significant. Following 24 weeks of therapy with pentoxiphylline, the OD value declined significantly to 0.164±0.028 among patients (p<0.001). Mean OD value of caspase 8 among patients prior to therapy was 0.927±0.249. This was significantly higher than that of controls, whose level was 0.0074±0.004 (p<0.001). Following 24 weeks of therapy with pentoxiphylline, the OD value declined to 0.199±0.064 among patients and this was significantly lower than the value at the start of treatment (p<0.001). Conclusion: Therapy with pentoxiphylline for 24 weeks is associated with a decline in the levels of caspase 1 and caspase 8. Since the drug is known to produce TNF inhibition, this might result in reduced apoptosis and an improved CD4 lymphocyte survival.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)359-364
Number of pages6
JournalInternational Immunopharmacology
Volume3
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2003

Keywords

  • Caspase
  • HIV infection
  • Pentoxiphylline

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

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