title: Unexpectedly high levels of HIV-1 RNA and protein synthesis in a cytocidal infection.
abstract: The expression of a laboratory strain of HIV-1 (HTLV-IIIB) has been studied in mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and in two lymphoid cell lines (CEM cells and C8166 cells). HIV-expressing cells contained from 300,000 to 2,500,000 copies of viral RNA per cell. Near-synchronous expression of an active infection could be achieved in C8166 cells. In these cells, the high copy numbers of viral RNA used as much as 40% of total protein synthesis for the production of viral gag protein, with high levels of viral RNA and protein synthesis preceding cell death by 2 to 4 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Somasundaran
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins