Lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis in HIV-seropositive and healthy subjects during long-term ingestion of fruit juices or a fruit-vegetable-concentrate rich in polyphenols and antioxidant vitamins

Objective: We investigated whether ingestion of polyphenols from fruit juices or a fruit-vegetable- concentrate affects lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive (HIV+) and HIV-seronegative ( HIV-) subjects. Design: Randomized, prospective pilot intervention study. Setting: University of Bonn, Department of General Internal Medicine. Subjects: A total of 23 HIV+ subjects from the HIV outpatient clinic, 18 HIV- controls. Interventions: Subjects ingested either 1 l of fruit juice or 30 ml of fruit-vegetable- concentrate daily for 16 weeks in addition to their regular diet. Lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells at baseline, during 16-weeks of intervention, and after a 6-week washout. Proliferation was assessed by H-3-thymidine incorporation and apoptosis by nuclear content as measured by flow cytometry. Results: Supplementation of fruit juices increased phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte proliferation ( mitotic index) in HIV+ patients from 18 +/- 16 to 40 +/- 34 (P = 0.004) and in healthy controls from 27 +/- 16 to 51 +/- 21 ( P = 0.016). Apoptosis was not affected in HIV+ patients, but rose in healthy controls from 9710 to 34711 ( apoptotic index; P = 0.001). Intervention with concentrate did not significantly alter proliferation and apoptosis in HIV+ and HIV- subjects. Conclusions: Even though apoptosis did not change in HIV+ subjects, ingestion of polyphenol-rich fruit juices might be favorable to HIV+ patients due to enhanced proliferation, which could restore disturbances in T-cell homeostasis. In healthy controls, increased lymphocyte proliferation during juice consumption was counterbalanced by increased apoptosis.