title: Epstein-Barr virus-positive and -negative B-cell lines can be infected with human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can infect CD4+ lymphocytes, monocytes-macrophages, and various other cell lines, including B-cell lines. To study the parameters of B-cell infections, we examined the susceptibility of 24 B-lymphoid cell lines to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. These cell lines included a series of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome-negative Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines and their EBV-converted counterparts. To infect these cells we used two HIV-1 isolates and one HIV-2 isolate. Infections were monitored with a cytoplasmic RNA dot-blot and a syncytium assay. HIV infection was also studied by a novel method based on electrophoresis of DNA liberated from cells that were lysed in situ in the well of an agarose gel. All human B-cell lines could be infected with HIV-1, regardless of the presence of EBV genomes; thus, EBV infection had no major effect on HIV susceptibility of B-cell lines. Integrated proviral HIV genomes could be detected by Southern blot analysis of DNA extracted from long-term, non-HIV-producing B-cell lines. This study suggests that B-lymphoid cells may serve as reservoirs for latent or persistent HIV infections in vivo, even in the absence of EBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01655.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Monroe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calender
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mulder
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral