title: HIV-1 entry into quiescent primary lymphocytes: molecular analysis reveals a labile, latent viral structure.
abstract: Productive infection of human T lymphocytes by HIV-1 is dependent upon proliferation of the infected cell. Nonproliferating quiescent T cells can be infected by HIV-1 and harbor the virus in an inactive state until subsequent mitogenic stimulation. We use a modification of the polymerase chain reaction method, which is both sensitive and quantitative, to demonstrate that HIV-1 DNA synthesis is initiated in infected quiescent T cells at levels comparable with those of activated T cells. However, unlike that of activated T cells, the viral genome is not completely reverse transcribed in quiescent cells. Although this viral DNA structure can persist in quiescent cells as a latent form, it is labile. We discuss the lability of this HIV-1 DNA structure in relation to a "self-restricting persistent infection" by HIV-1 and propose that this may explain the low percentage of infected cells in the circulation of AIDS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UCLA School of Medicine.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zack
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Arrigo
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Weitsman
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haislip
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015870:Gene Expression; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral