Association of mycoplasma with HIV-1 and HTLV-I in human T lymphocytes.
Recent findings from a number of investigators suggest associations between mycoplasma and HIV or AIDS. We used a quantitative morphometric technique to analyze electron micrographs of human T lymphocytes that were infected with both mycoplasma and/or HIV-1. We observed that lymphocytes which were associated with HIV-1 were much more likely to be associated with mycoplasma than cells that were not (p < .001). Similarly, cells with associated HTLV-I were more likely to be associated with mycoplasma than cells which were not associated with mycoplasma (p < .0001). In addition, mycoplasma and virus were observed in the same region in 90% of cases. These observations suggest that adherence of mycoplasma to lymphocytes that are chronically infected with human retrovirus may trigger viral release.
Phillips
D M
DM
Population Council, New York, NY 10021.
Pearce-Pratt
R
R
Tan
X
X
Zacharopoulos
V R
VR
D002460:Cell Line; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure