Biomaterial Database

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is an opportunistic infection and Kaposi's sarcoma results from secondary immune stimulation. 1983

J A Levy, and J L Ziegler

Two hypotheses are presented to explain the recent outbreak of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Kaposi's sarcoma in certain risk groups, particularly homosexuals, and the absence of these diseases from other segments of the population. According to the first, AIDS is itself an opportunistic infection. It causes disease only in individuals who are already immunocompromised by hepatitis B, cytomegalovirus, parasites, or other immunosuppressive factors. This hypothesis predicts that evidence of previous contact with the AIDS agent would be found in healthy individuals who have had the immune capability to suppress its pathogenicity. It also suggests that individuals with evidence of immunodeficiency are at risk of this syndrome and should adopt a lifestyle favouring recovery of their immune system. According to the second hypothesis, the high incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma observed in immunocompromised AIDS patients is not due to decreased immunosurveillance but to a reactive secretion of immunomodulating factors with angiogenesis-promoting activity. They are released in an attempt to bring the immune system back into balance. These factors would enhance capillary proliferation and subsequent transformation of endothelial cells, perhaps via cytomegalovirus.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007165	Immunosuppression Therapy	Deliberate prevention or diminution of the host's immune response. It may be nonspecific as in the administration of immunosuppressive agents (drugs or radiation) or by lymphocyte depletion or may be specific as in desensitization or the simultaneous administration of antigen and immunosuppressive drugs.	Antirejection Therapy,Immunosuppression,Immunosuppressive Therapy,Anti-Rejection Therapy,Therapy, Anti-Rejection,Therapy, Antirejection,Anti Rejection Therapy,Anti-Rejection Therapies,Antirejection Therapies,Immunosuppression Therapies,Immunosuppressions,Immunosuppressive Therapies,Therapies, Immunosuppression,Therapies, Immunosuppressive,Therapy, Immunosuppression,Therapy, Immunosuppressive
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D011020	Pneumonia, Pneumocystis	A pulmonary disease in humans occurring in immunodeficient or malnourished patients or infants, characterized by DYSPNEA, tachypnea, and HYPOXEMIA. Pneumocystis pneumonia is a frequently seen opportunistic infection in AIDS. It is caused by the fungus PNEUMOCYSTIS JIROVECII. The disease is also found in other MAMMALS where it is caused by related species of Pneumocystis.	P carinii Pneumonia,P. carinii Pneumonia,P. jirovecii Pneumonia,PCP Pneumonia,Pneumocystis Pneumonia,Pneumocystosis,Pneumonia, Interstitial Plasma Cell,PCP Infection,Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia,Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia,Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii,Infection, PCP,P carinii Pneumonias,P. carinii Pneumonias,P. jirovecii Pneumonias,PCP Infections,PCP Pneumonias,Pneumocystis Pneumonias,Pneumocystoses,Pneumonia, P carinii,Pneumonia, P. carinii,Pneumonia, P. jirovecii,Pneumonia, PCP,Pneumonia, Pneumocystis jirovecii,Pneumonias, PCP
D006133	Growth Substances	Signal molecules that are involved in the control of cell growth and differentiation.	Mitogens, Endogenous,Endogenous Mitogens
D006377	T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer	Subpopulation of CD4+ lymphocytes that cooperate with other lymphocytes (either T or B) to initiate a variety of immune functions. For example, helper-inducer T-cells cooperate with B-cells to produce antibodies to thymus-dependent antigens and with other subpopulations of T-cells to initiate a variety of cell-mediated immune functions.	Helper Cell,Helper Cells,Helper T Cell,Helper-Inducer T-Lymphocytes,Inducer Cell,Inducer Cells,T-Cells, Helper-Inducer,T-Lymphocytes, Helper,T-Lymphocytes, Inducer,Helper T-Cells,Cell, Helper T,Cells, Helper T,Helper Inducer T Lymphocytes,Helper T Cells,Helper T-Cell,Helper T-Lymphocyte,Helper T-Lymphocytes,Helper-Inducer T-Cell,Helper-Inducer T-Cells,Helper-Inducer T-Lymphocyte,Inducer T-Lymphocyte,Inducer T-Lymphocytes,T Cell, Helper,T Cells, Helper,T Cells, Helper Inducer,T Lymphocytes, Helper,T Lymphocytes, Helper Inducer,T Lymphocytes, Inducer,T-Cell, Helper,T-Cell, Helper-Inducer,T-Cells, Helper,T-Lymphocyte, Helper,T-Lymphocyte, Helper-Inducer,T-Lymphocyte, Inducer
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000163	Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome	An acquired defect of cellular immunity associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count under 200 cells/microliter or less than 14% of total lymphocytes, and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and malignant neoplasms. Clinical manifestations also include emaciation (wasting) and dementia. These elements reflect criteria for AIDS as defined by the CDC in 1993.	AIDS,Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Acquired,Immunologic Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired,Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome,Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome,Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome,Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndromes,Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes,Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired,Immuno-Deficiency Syndromes, Acquired,Immunodeficiency Syndromes, Acquired,Syndrome, Acquired Immuno-Deficiency,Syndrome, Acquired Immunodeficiency,Syndromes, Acquired Immuno-Deficiency,Syndromes, Acquired Immunodeficiency
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012306	Risk	The probability that an event will occur. It encompasses a variety of measures of the probability of a generally unfavorable outcome.	Relative Risk,Relative Risks,Risk, Relative,Risks,Risks, Relative
D012514	Sarcoma, Kaposi	A multicentric, malignant neoplastic vascular proliferation characterized by the development of bluish-red cutaneous nodules, usually on the lower extremities, most often on the toes or feet, and slowly increasing in size and number and spreading to more proximal areas. The tumors have endothelium-lined channels and vascular spaces admixed with variably sized aggregates of spindle-shaped cells, and often remain confined to the skin and subcutaneous tissue, but widespread visceral involvement may occur. Kaposi's sarcoma occurs spontaneously in Jewish and Italian males in Europe and the United States. An aggressive variant in young children is endemic in some areas of Africa. A third form occurs in about 0.04% of kidney transplant patients. There is also a high incidence in AIDS patients. (From Dorland, 27th ed & Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, pp2105-7) HHV-8 is the suspected cause.	Kaposi Sarcoma,Kaposi's Sarcoma,Multiple Idiopathic Pigmented Hemangiosarcoma,Kaposis Sarcoma,Sarcoma, Kaposi's