IL-7/IL-7Rα production by bone marrow stromal cells.

<p>IL-7 production was analyzed by (i) measuring IL-7 levels in the supernatants of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) from 20 unselected HIV-positive (10 INRs, 10 CFs) and 7 HIV-seronegative patients (A); and (ii) measuring IL-7 mRNA levels in BMMC-derived stromal cells from 12 unselected HIV-positive (8 INRs, 4 CFs) and 6 HIV-seronegative patients (B). IL-7Rα bone marrow expression was measured in 10 unselected (6 INRs, 4 CFs) and 6 HIV-seronegative patients (C). IL-7/IL-7Rα bone marrow production in BMMCs differed between HIV-positive HAART-treated subjects and HIV-seronegative subjects. HIV-positive subjects were subdivided into two groups: subjects with low CD4+ counts and full suppression of viral replication (immunological nonresponders, INRs) and patients with low CD4+ T-cell counts and elevated viral replication (complete failures, CFs). HIV-positive patients presented increased bone marrow production of IL-7 (A–B) and IL-7Rα (C). Separate analyses of HIV-positive patients with different viro-immunological responses to HAART revealed a tendency for higher IL-7/IL-7Rα production in INRs compared to other patients. Histogram heights and error bars denote the mean and standard deviation, respectively, of the indicated parameters.