title: Quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected mononuclear cells in peripheral blood of seropositive subjects by newly developed flow cytometry analysis of the product of an in situ PCR assay.
abstract: The presence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of three groups (group 1, more than 500 CD4+ T cells per microliter; group 2, between 200 and 499 CD4+ T cells per microliter; group 3, fewer than 200 CD4+ T cells per microliter) of HIV-1-infected patients, in different stages of the disease, was determined by using a newly developed flow cytometry analysis of the product of in situ PCR assay and compared with other markers of viral replication (HIV-1 p24 antigenemia and viral isolation). Results showed varied percentages of HIV-1-infected PBMC, ranging from 0.6 to 20%. Patients with more than 500 CD4+ T cells per microliter showed the lowest percentage of HIV-1-infected PBMC (2.1 +/- 1.7), compared with patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of between 200 and 499 per microliter (6.5% +/- 4.1%; P < 0.001) and patients with fewer than 200 CD4+ T cells per microliter (4.9% +/- 4.7%; P < 0.05). The difference in the percentage of HIV-1-infected PBMC between group 2 and group 3 patients may in part reflect the loss of CD4+ T lymphocytes in more advanced stages of the disease. However, the results clearly indicate a striking coincidence between the fall of the CD4+ T-cell count below 400/microliter and the sharp increase in PBMC virus loading and p24 antigenemia. Since the procedure is relatively easy to perform, it could be used to monitor the evolution of HIV-1 infection and may prove a useful adjunct in tailoring therapeutic strategies.
authors: Institute of Microbiology, University of Bologna Medical School, St. Orsola General Hospital, Italy.
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Re
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Furlini
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Gibellini
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Vignoli
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Ramazzotti
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Lolli
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Ranieri
authors: M
authors: M
authors: La Placa
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000821:virology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D001483:Base Sequence; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000382:microbiology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014766:Viremia / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24