Long-term cultivation of T-cell subsets from patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and from healthy controls have been cultured in vitro in the presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and interleukin 2 (IL-2). The T-cell subsets that grew were of both helper and suppressor type within the first week, but after 1-3 months, T cells with a suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype predominated. The lymphocytes from AIDS patients responded less effectively to the culture conditions employed. These results indicate that IL-2 can be used to maintain both major subsets of T cells from AIDS patients as well as healthy controls for short periods. However, in both situations, the helper phenotype is selectively reduced after one month in culture.