Differential syncytium-inducing capacity of human immunodeficiency virus isolates: frequent detection of syncytium-inducing isolates in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex.
Human immunodeficiency virus isolates were studied with respect to syncytium-inducing capacity, replicative properties, and host range. Five of 10 isolates from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex were able to induce syncytia in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC). In contrast, only 2 of 12 isolates from asymptomatic individuals had syncytium-inducing capacity. Syncytium-inducing isolates were reproducibly obtained from the same MNC sample in over 90% of the cases, independent of the donor MNC used for propagation. Syncytium-inducing capacity was shown to be a stable property of an isolate, independent of viral replication rates. Evidence was obtained that the high replication rate of syncytium-inducing isolates observed during primary isolation may be due to higher infectivity of these isolates. The finding that only syncytium-inducing isolates could be transmitted to the H9 cell line is compatible with this higher infectivity. The frequent isolation of syncytium-inducing isolates from individuals with AIDS-related complex or AIDS and the apparent higher in vitro infectivity of these isolates suggest that syncytium-inducing isolates may unfavorably influence the course of human immunodeficiency virus infection.
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000382:microbiology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002459:Cell Fusion; D006678:HIV / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology; D014779:Virus Replication
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens