Cell-to-cell transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in the presence of azidothymidine and neutralizing antibody.
Very few peripheral blood lymphocytes of seropositive individuals are presumably actively infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). During coculture of lymphocytes of a seropositive individual with mitogen-stimulated normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, the number of infected cells becomes amplified such that detectable HIV-1 is produced. We report here that in addition to transmission by extracellular virus, cell-to-cell transmission is responsible for spreading HIV-1 infection from infected to uninfected cells. Azidothymidine and virus-neutralizing antibody had no effect on cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1. Monoclonal antibodies to the CD4 receptor, but not to the CD3 receptor, prevented cell-to-cell transmission, which suggests that CD4 receptor-mediated cell fusion is involved in cell-to-cell transmission. Spread of infection in a cell-to-cell manner may be important in development of drug therapies for HIV-1 infection.
Gupta
P
P
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.
Balachandran
R
R
Ho
M
M
Enrico
A
A
Rinaldo
C
C
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006678:HIV / Q000254:growth & development*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015215:Zidovudine