Clonal expansion of T cells and HIV genotypes in microdissected splenic white pulps indicates viral replication in situ and infiltration of HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication and T cell proliferation was investigated in situ by a PCR based analysis of individual microdissected splenic white pulps. Founder effects, revealed by an exquisite compartmentalization of HIV genotypes and T cells, indicated the recruitment of latently infected CD4+ T cells through highly localized antigen presentation, rather than the infection of CD4+ T lymphoblasts by blood borne virus or immune complexes. HIV infected white pulps could be infiltrated by HIV specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, so implicating them in CD4+ T cell destruction in vivo. Together these data describe an iterative and deleterious mechanism of antigen driven T cell recruitment and activation, HIV replication and spread, with consequent destruction of the newly infected cells.
Cheynier
R
R
Unité de Rétrovirologie Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Henrichwark
S
S
Hadida
F
F
Pelletier
E
E
Oksenhendler
E
E
Autran
B
B
Wain-Hobson
S
S
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002999:Clone Cells; D004210:Dissection; D005838:Genotype; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008846:Micromanipulation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; D014779:Virus Replication
D015483:HIV Antibodies