RANTES production from CD4⁺ lymphocytes correlates with host genotype and rates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 disease progression

Several chemokine and chemokine receptor parameters were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from patients before they became infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). After HIV-1 infection, the parameters were compared with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels and with rates of CD4⁺ lymphocyte decline. Patients who were heterozygous for the Δ32CCR5 allele had significantly higher levels of RANTES production from their CD4⁺ lymphocytes than did patients who did not carry the Δ32CCR5 allele (P = .01). Higher RANTES production levels from ex vivo-activated CD4⁺-enriched lymphocytes, but not CD8⁺ lymphocytes, correlated with lower plasma HIV-1 RNA levels 9-12 months after infection (P = .01) and with slower rates of CD4⁺ lymphocyte decline (P = .002). CCR5 expression levels on ex vivo - activated CD4⁺ lymphocytes did not correlate with markers of disease progression. These results further support the hypothesis that chemokine production levels are associated with HIV-1 replication in vivo.