Cancer of the anal canal and local control

Patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are susceptible to infections with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Interleukin (IL)-10 may impair immunity to MAC; therefore, the effect of different MAC preparations on IL-10 production was examined in mononuclear cell cultures from HIV-infected patients. IL-10 levels in cultures for 26 patients were higher than those in 20 control cultures. The highest IL-10 levels were found in cultures from patients with the most advanced HIV disease. Monocytes were the major IL-10 producers, while little IL-10 could be attributed to Th2 lymphocytes. Cultures for patients produced reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and normal levels of IL-12; the production of these cytokines increased after neutralization of IL-10. Circulating IL-10 was higher in HIV-infected patients than in controls, with the highest levels in the AIDS group. Elevated monocyte/macrophage-derived IL-10 production may contribute to the high susceptibility to MAC infection seen in patients with advanced HIV disease.