Infection of human fetal cardiac myocytes by a human immunodeficiency virus-1-derived vector.
Cardiomyopathy associated with HIV-1 infection is a well-recognized complication. However, it is unknown whether direct cardiomyocyte infection is involved in the pathogenesis of the cardiomyopathy. An HIV-1-based lentiviral vector and wild-type HIV-1 were used to infect human fetal cardiac myocytes in a primary culture. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction, viral p24 antigen determination, and immunofluorescence were used to detect the synthesis of HIV-1 DNA and proteins after the infection. High-efficiency infection occurred using the HIV-1-based lentiviral vector, although no infection occurred with the wild-type HIV-1 strain. Dual-labeling immunofluorescence for HIV-1 proteins and myosin confirmed that cardiomyocytes were infected. This in vitro analysis suggests that direct myocyte infection with wild-type HIV-1 may not be involved in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 cardiomyopathy. However, HIV-1-based vectors may prove useful for ex vivo cardiovascular gene therapy.
Department of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1743, USA. mrebolle@ucla.edu
M A
MA
Rebolledo
P
P
Krogstad
F
F
Chen
K M
KM
Shannon
T S
TS
Klitzner
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000473:pathology*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000235:genetics; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins