title: Sampling lymph node content of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nucleic acids and p24 antigen by fine-needle aspiration in early-stage patients.
abstract: The potential of lymph node fine-needle aspiration (LNFNA) for sampling viral load was evaluated in excised, peripheral lymph nodes from five patients with early-stage human immunodeficiency virus type 1 HIV-1 disease (asymptomatic, CD4 cells > 300/mm3). The preponderance (> 80%) of viral RNA was within follicular germinal centers as noted by in situ hybridization on lymph node frozen sections (LNFSs) as well as within cohesive groups of 10-20 lymphoid cells (microfragments) in LNFNA preparations. Quantification of cells expressing HIV-1 RNA by in situ hybridization, quantification of HIV-1 gag RNA and gag DNA per 10(5) cells by polymerase chain reaction, and measurement of p24 antigen per 10(5) cells yielded similar values for LNFNA, lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) from tissue homogenates by Ficoll-Hypaque separation, and LNFS. Sampling of lymph node viral load by LNFNA appears to capture viral components associated with both individual expressing cells and follicular germinal centers. Due to the advantages in terms of patients' morbidity, repeatability, and cost, assessment of lymphoid tissue viral load by LNFNA warrants an in vivo feasibility trial as an alternative to lymph node biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Retrovirology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C., USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeNobile
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vahey
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nau
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wegner
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D012367:RNA, Viral