In vitro study using leukemia cell line panel to demonstrate rapid thymic T cell death due to contact with HIV-1 carrier cell clones.
A rapid (within 1 h) and profound cytotoxic cell death of immature TdT+CD4+CD8+ and/or TdT+CD4+ thymic T cell type leukemia cell lines, and of normal thymocyte populations rich in TdT+CD4+CD8+ cells was induced by contact with some human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) carrier T cell clones. This cytotoxic reaction, without requiring a complete viral replication cycle in the thymic T cells, did not occur in any mature CD4+CD8+ and/or CD4+ T cells which are otherwise permissive for virus infection. Although it was not an antigen-specific cytotoxic reaction, the rapid and profound thymic T cell destruction was shown, at the individual clonal level, to be triggered specifically by the binding of CD4 molecules on thymic T cells with gp120/gp160 on HIV-1 carrier clones. The present study suggesting direct elimination of immature T cells by contact with some HIV-1-infected T cells, may provide a novel insight into the mechanism responsible for the mature CD4+ T cell depletion in HIV-1 infection.
Minowada
J
J
Fujisaki Cell Center, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories, Inc, Okayama, Japan.
Nishizaki
C
C
Toki
M
M
Kinzl
P
P
Otani
T
T
Matsuo
Y
Y
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology; D017209:Apoptosis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002999:Clone Cells; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015704:CD4 Antigens