Role of beta-chemokines in HIV-1 infection of dendritic cells maturing from CD34+ stem cells.
OBJECTIVE
To study the susceptibility to infection by different strains of HIV-1 viruses and the roles of chemokines (macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha [MIP-1alpha], MIP-1beta, and regulated-on-activation-T-expressed-and-secreted [RANTES]) in CD34+ stem cells maturing into dendritic cells (DC).


METHODS
It has been controversial whether CD34+ stem cells are susceptible to HIV-1 infection and whether high levels of beta-chemokines are beneficial for suppressing HIV-1 infection during DC maturation. These questions were addressed using different strains of HIV-1 and CD34+ stem cells taken from cord blood and cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) to generate mature DC.


METHODS
CD34+ stem cells were exposed with M-tropic virus Ba-L or T-tropic viruses IIIB or Rut at day 1. Beta-chemokines were added to some cells before the virus and kept throughout the culture. Virus replication was measured throughout the maturation of these cells into CD1a+ DC and CD1a- CD14+ cells using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for p24, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for env and intracellular p24 detection by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
First, CD34+ stem cells acquired or were infected by live virus because maturing cells showed infection by both M- and T-tropic viruses. Second, the viruses replicated actively during the maturation of CD34+ stem cells toward CD1a+ DC and CD1a- CD14+ cells. Third, beta-chemokines suppressed infection by M-tropic virus Ba-L. And finally, beta-chemokines enhanced infection by T-tropic viruses IIIB and Rut.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to the initial anti-M-tropic virus effect by beta-chemokines, selective pressure on viruses may also result because of an increase in susceptibility to T-tropic virus. Caution should be taken when evaluating the effect of beta-chemokine receptor agonists in AIDS therapy.
Wang
H
H
Antigen Presentation Research Group, Imperial College School of Medicine, Northwick Park Institute for Medical Research, Harrow, UK.
English
N J
NJ
Reid
C D
CD
Merson
J E
JE
Knight
S C
SC
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D002452:Cell Count; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000502:physiology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000821:virology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000821:virology; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000235:genetics; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D019402:Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4