Bystander CD4+ T lymphocytes survive in HIV-infected human lymphoid tissue.
HIV infection is associated with depletion of CD4(+) T cells. The mechanisms of this phenomenon remain to be understood. In particular, it remains controversial whether and to what extent uninfected ("bystander") CD4(+) T cells die in HIV-infected individuals. We address this question using a system of human lymphoid tissue ex vivo. Tissue blocks were inoculated with HIV-1. After productive infection was established, they were treated with the reverse transcriptase inhibitor nevirapine to protect from infection those CD4(+) T cells that had not yet been infected. These CD4(+) T cells residing in HIV-infected tissue are by definition bystanders. Our results demonstrate that after nevirapine application the number of bystander CD4(+) T cells is conserved. Thus, in the context of HIV-infected human lymphoid tissue, productive HIV infection kills infected cells but is not sufficient to cause the death of a significant number of uninfected CD4(+) T cells.
Grivel
Jean-Charles
JC
Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biophysics, and NASA/NIH Center for Three-Dimensional Tissue Culture, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Biancotto
Angelique
A
Ito
Yoshinori
Y
Lima
Rosangela G
RG
Margolis
Leonid B
LB
D017209:Apoptosis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology