Interference with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication by CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood leukocytes of asymptomatic HIV carriers in vitro.
A long asymptomatic period is one of the characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, despite its fatal consequences. Antiviral defense in HIV-infected individuals controls viral replication during this period. In the present study, we demonstrate that peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of asymptomatic HIV-1 carriers, following exogenous HIV-1 infection in vitro, do not support viral replication. These cells do not produce detectable amounts of reverse transcriptase or accumulate unintegrated proviral DNA. This is a striking contrast to the behavior of HIV-1-infected PBL of seronegative individuals, which produce large amounts of RT and unintegrated DNA. Such resistance to HIV-1 replication is not seen in PBL of patients with advanced disease. Since the binding of HIV-1 to CD4 molecule is not impaired in PBL of asymptomatic carriers, the interference with HIV replication must occur after the stage of virus binding. PBL lose their resistance when CD8+ lymphocytes are removed. In addition, these PBL are not resistant to an exogenous infection with HIV-2. These observations suggest that certain populations of CD8+ lymphocytes of asymptomatic HIV-1 carriers operate on the target cells in PBL to block viral replication in an HIV-1-specific manner. Such CD8+ lymphocyte-mediated interference with HIV replication could play an important role in the maintenance of the period of disease latency.
Department of Biodefence and Medical Virology, Kumamoto University Medical School, Japan.
M
M
Kannagi
T
T
Masuda
T
T
Hattori
T
T
Kanoh
K
K
Nasu
N
N
Yamamoto
S
S
Harada
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006678:HIV / Q000254:growth & development*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase