Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)-derived factor (ADF) is a multifunctional protein homologous to thioredoxin (TRX) with co-cytokine and thiol-dependent reducing activities. ADF/thioredoxin production is enhanced in T cells transformed by HTLV-I. We have examined the effect of HIV-1 infection on ADF/TRX expression using specific antibody against ADF/TRX. Lymph nodes from 5 AIDS and 1 AIDS-related complex (ARC) patients were examined. As a control, 8 HIV noninfected lymph nodes, including 3 cases with hyperplasia, were also examined. Immunohistopathological studies using normal HIV noninfected lymph nodes showed that ADF/TRX high-producer (ADFh) cells were macrophages and cells with dendritic morphology in the paracortical area. Abundant ADFh cells were observed in HIV noninfected hyperplastic lymph nodes. The number of ADFh cells was low in hyperplastic lymph nodes from an ARC patient. All of the lymph nodes of 5 AIDS cases were atrophic and the number of ADFh cells were extremely low. To verify these histochemical studies, we examined the effect of in vitro HIV infection on ADF/TRX expression in HTLV-I (+) T-cell lines. Western blot analysis showed that a reduction of ADF/TRX in HIV-1-infected SKT-1B and MT-2 cells, and the reduction inversely correlated with p24 antigen level. On the basis of the above in vivo and in vitro findings, we imply that the levels of ADF/TRX were down-regulated by HIV-1 infection and that the down-regulation may play a role for pathophysiology of HIV-infected individuals.