Blood monocytes from most human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients do not carry proviral DNA.
In blood, the CD4+ T cells of patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) harbor HIV-1; however, whether the CD4+ blood monocytes carry the virus is controversial. Tissue macrophages are known to be infected. To determine in blood monocytes from HIV-1-seropositive patients contain HIV-1, we separated monocytes and T-cell subsets by using monoclonal antibodies bound to magnetic beads and by monocyte adherence to glass. Monocytes were cultured with macrophage colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin-3. After 14 days in culture, cells were analyzed for the presence of HIV-1 antigen and multinucleated giant cells (MGCs). Freshly isolated cell subsets were analyzed for HIV-1 proviral DNA by PCR with modified env (SK68i and SK69i2) and gag (SK145i and SK150) primers. We found that (i) monocytes cultured without depletion of CD4+ T cells (11 of 11 patients) were HIV-1 antigen positive and showed dramatically increased spontaneous formation of MGCs (ii) monocytes cultured after depletion of CD4+ T cells (three experiments) were HIV-1 antigen negative and showed markedly decreased MGC formation, and (iii) in specimens from 14 patients subsequently analyzed by PCR, purified CD4+ T cells were positive for HIV-1 proviral DNA in all patients. In 11 of 14 patients (79%), the monocyte fractions were HIV-1 proviral DNA negative, while in the remaining 3 patients, the monocytes were positive for HIV-1 proviral DNA. In conclusion, the major reservoir for HIV-1 infection in human peripheral blood is the CD4+ T cell (14 of 14 cases).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Shen
Y
Y
Department of Microbiology, University of Ottawa General Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Rudnik
J
J
Cassol
S
S
Drouin
J
J
Cameron
W
W
Izaguirre
C A
CA
Filion
L G
LG
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008863:Microspheres; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral