Detection of infectious HIV in circulating monocytes from patients on prolonged highly active antiretroviral therapy.
The existence of a reservoir of resting CD4+ T cells harboring latent replication-competent HIV has been demonstrated in patients on prolonged highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Latently infected tissue macrophages may constitute a second HIV reservoir. The pool of these cells may be maintained by incoming infected monocytes from blood and/or by in situ viral replication. In this study, the presence of infectious HIV was investigated in highly purified monocytes from 5 patients receiving HAART with undetectable plasma viral load for up to 16 months. HIV was detected in freshly isolated monocytes and recovered following Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain 1 (SAC) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation. No new drug resistance-associated mutation was found in monocyte-associated HIV. These results demonstrate the long-term persistence of infectious virus in cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage in patients receiving HAART. These cells are capable of releasing infectious virus under appropriate stimulations.
Lambotte
O
O
Laboratory of Virus Neuron and Immunity, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
Taoufik
Y
Y
de Goër
M G
MG
Wallon
C
C
Goujard
C
C
Delfraissy
J F
JF
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D004279:DNA, Viral