Neonatal HIV-1 thymic infection.
The thymus is the primary site of T cell ontogeny and selection during fetal and neonatal development. Previous studies have established that the thymus is also a site of HIV-1 infection, as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. Alteration of the thymocyte maturation process by HIV-1 could impact on the peripheral T cell population and interfere with immune responses. A neonatal thymic organ culture system was established to study HIV-1 infection within the thymus. We have shown that this primary tissue isolate can support a productive HIV-1 infection. Infection occurred without detectable thymocyte cytopathology. The ability to infect the developing thymocyte within an intact micro environment will enable us to further establish the kinetics of acute HIV-1 thymic infection and its consequences on lymphocyte maturation.
Rosenzweig
M
M
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Bunting
E M
EM
Gaulton
G N
GN
D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000032:analysis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24