title: Quantitative 3D video microscopy of HIV transfer across T cell virological synapses.
abstract: The spread of HIV between immune cells is greatly enhanced by cell-cell adhesions called virological synapses, although the underlying mechanisms have been unclear. With use of an infectious, fluorescent clone of HIV, we tracked the movement of Gag in live CD4 T cells and captured the direct translocation of HIV across the virological synapse. Quantitative, high-speed three-dimensional (3D) video microscopy revealed the rapid formation of micrometer-sized "buttons" containing oligomerized viral Gag protein. Electron microscopy showed that these buttons were packed with budding viral crescents. Viral transfer events were observed to form virus-laden internal compartments within target cells. Continuous time-lapse monitoring showed preferential infection through synapses. Thus, HIV dissemination may be enhanced by virological synapse-mediated cell adhesion coupled to viral endocytosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Immunology Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hübner
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: McNerney
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Benjamin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Frank Y S
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Asmuth
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huser
authors.forename: Benjamin K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Chen