gp120-independent HIV infection of cells derived from the female reproductive tract, brain, and colon.
The infection of CD4 cells may have significant involvement in the transmission and long-term persistency of HIV. Using HIV clones carrying the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), we infected epithelial and glioneuronal cell lines derived from the female reproductive tract, brain, colon, and intestine. HIV infection was quantified by counting EGFP-positive cells. Infection was quantified in cell lines from the female reproductive tract, brain tissue, and colon tissue (0.36%-3.15%). Virus replicated in the infected cells and the progeny virus were infectious for CD4 cells, HeLa-CD4, and CEM T lymphocytes. Furthermore, we found that infection of these epithelial and brain cell lines is independent of gp120. The results from the infection of CD4 epithelial cells suggest that HIV can traverse epithelial cell layers by infecting them through a gp120-independent mechanism. Infection of glial and neuronal cell lines suggests that HIV infection of these cells is a probable mechanism for HIV pathogenicity in the brain and a possible cause for persistent infection in patients.
Zheng
Junying
J
UCLA School of Dentistry, UCLA Dental Institute, and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1668, USA.
Xie
Yiming
Y
Campbell
Richard
R
Song
Jun
J
Wang
Rose Q
RQ
Chiu
Robert
R
Berenson
James
J
Razi
Miriam
M
Massachi
Samira
S
Yang
Otto O
OO
Chen
Irvin S Y
IS
Pang
Shen
S
D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000502:physiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins