Induction of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 expression in chronically infected cells is associated primarily with a shift in RNA splicing patterns.
We have analyzed the kinetics of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA induction in chronically infected T cells and promonocytes. A substantial amount of spliced mRNAs and assembled virions was found in resting cells. Induction increased the steady-state level of total HIV-1 RNA by 4-fold but increased the level of unspliced transcripts by 25-fold. This increase in unspliced RNA was reflected in the amount of virus seen by electron microscopy. These data suggest a mechanism for the induction of HIV-1 RNA in chronically infected cells involving a shift in splicing greatly favoring the stability of unspliced viral RNA with only a modest increase in total viral RNA. Analysis of the relative abundance of transcript classes is critical to the measurement of HIV-1 viral replication kinetics.
Michael
N L
NL
Department of Retroviral Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
Morrow
P
P
Mosca
J
J
Vahey
M
M
Burke
D S
DS
Redfield
R R
RR
D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014771:Virion / Q000235:genetics
D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral