Researchers Measure Interleukin-8 in AIDS Patients [International Conference on AIDS (11th: 1996: Vancouver, Canada)]

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_RESEARCHERS MEASURE INTERLEUKIN-8 IN AIDS PATIENTS
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I,- VANCOUVER -- University at Buffalo researchers have utilized a research assay
- that measures Interleukin-8 (IL-8) to detect this protein in the blood of AIDS patients.
_ IL-8 is a cytokine, an important regulatory molecule of the immune system, that
_ cells produce to help fight infections. HIV interferes with the normal regulation of
____ cytokines, causing an altered immune response. Knowledge about IL-8 is expected to
help scientists increase their understanding of how this cytokine contributes to the body's
response to AIDS treatments.
"The ability to measure IL-8 has a number of implications," said John Adams
Pharm.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory for Antiviral Research in the UB School
of Pharmacy.
By measuring concentrations of IL-8 in patients, researchers may be able to
predict better the patients' responsiveness to a particular treatment. For example, Adams
explained, the effectiveness of certain antimicrobial and recombinant agents for AIDS
may depend on the presence of IL-8.
"We're trying to figure out whether knowing someone's IL-8 concentration will
explain the variability in responses to different treatments that depend on white blood cell
function," Adams explained.
"These preliminary results show that we can measure IL-8 with reliability."
The assay detected 11-8 as low as 7.8 pg (picograms/ml.). IL-8 was measurable
'in 10 out of 13 patients, but was not detectable in eight, healthy control subjects.
Adams presented the results here today at the International AIDS Conference.
The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Upjohn Pharmaceuticals.

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