Direct detection of infectious human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) immune complexes in the sera of HIV-1-infected persons.
The sera of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected subjects were examined for the presence of infectious HIV-1-antibody complexes by their ability to infect Fc gamma receptor (Fc gamma R)-bearing cells. Infection of Fc gamma R-bearing cells by a serum in which half of the p24 antigen was present in a form of immune complexes was inhibited by aggregated human immunoglobulin. Then in studies on 22 sera, 9 sera produced p24 antigen during 14 days of culture in U937 cells. HIV-1 p24 production was inhibited or delayed by the pretreatment of cells with aggregated human immunoglobulin in 6 of the 9 sera that were infectious. These results may reflect interactions between virus-antibody complexes and Fc gamma R-bearing cells in vivo because serum itself was used as the source of virus and virus-antibody complexes. The results indicate that infectious HIV-1 immune complexes are present in the circulation of HIV-1-infected patients.
Kobayashi
K
K
Dept. of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655.
Takeda
A
A
Green
S
S
Tuazon
C U
CU
Ennis
F A
FA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology*
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D011961:Receptors, Fc