title: HIV-1 infection and virus production in follicular dendritic cells in lymph nodes. A case report, with analysis of isolated follicular dendritic cells.
abstract: Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) from axillary lymphoid tissue of a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) were analyzed for the presence of gag and env proteins and env mRNA of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), both in a purified FDC suspension and on frozen sections. Isolated cells with morphologic and immunocytochemical features of FDC expressed HIV-1 core (gag) proteins p15, p17, p24, and envelope (env) protein gp41; in addition HIV-1 env mRNA was detected in some of these cells. This corresponded with intense expression of HIV-1 proteins by FDC in germinal centers in situ, and the presence of HIV-1 mRNA-positive cells in germinal follicles. These findings led us to conclude that FDC are infected and able to produce HIV-1. Such infection may contribute significantly to the destruction of the FDC network during the lymphadenopathy phase after HIV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Parmentier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Wichen
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sie-Go
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goudsmit
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Borleffs
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schuurman
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D002469:Cell Separation; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000378:metabolism; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C060295:p15 gag protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; C054858:p17 protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1