Latent infection of epidermal Langerhans cells in HIV-positive individuals.
Epidermal cell suspensions obtained from 3 symptom-free HIV-positive individuals were cultured and marked with monoclonal antibodies for the HIV proteins p15, p24 and gp120 in the alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase staining technique. For 2 individuals, cells were positive after 3 days in culture, and for the third, after 4 days. Supernatant from one of the cultures infected allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We conclude that epidermal Langerhans cells from symptom-free HIV-positive individuals are latent-infected and are able to produce and release HIV.
Braathen
L R
LR
Dept. Dermatol, Rikshospitalet, National Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
Ramirez
G
G
Kunze
R O
RO
Mork
C
C
Strand
O
O
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004817:Epidermis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male