Pereira RA, Nugeyre MT, Grangette C, Vuillier F, Barre-Sinoussi F; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1990 Jun 20-23; 6: 141 (abstract no. F.A.263).
Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, Australia
OBJECTIVE: In order to determine at which stage along the differentiation pathway, the precursor cells of the immune system become permissive to infection, we have investigated the susceptibility of thymic cells to HIV1 infection. METHODS: Thymuses were obtained from seronegative infants undergoing cardiac surgery. Immature thymocyte populations were prepared by depletion using relevant monoclonal antibodies against specific cell surface markers and magnetic beads selection. The enriched subset of thymocytes was infected in vitro, cultured in IL2 containing medium and followed throughout the culture period for its phenotype by FACS analysis, for HIV1 expression by in situ hybridization and by measuring RT activity and/or viral antigen in cell free supernatant. CD4 mRNA expression was also analysed by using the PCR technology. RESULTS: Among a CD7+ CD2+/- CD1+ CD3- CD4- CD8- thymocyte subset, a small percentage (0.3-0.5%) of cells was repetitively found to express HIV1 at different times after infection in vitro. Such cells do not appear to be a few contaminating CD4+ cells or remaining CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes, since no CD4 mRNA expression was detected by PCR. However, in parallel experiments, we have shown that double positive thymocytes are able to bind HIV1; a cell line phenotypically resembling CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes was found to actively replicate HIV1 in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that: - CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes are susceptible to HIV1 infection. - A small percentage of CD3- CD4- CD8- cells is also sensitive to viral infection; such cells may represent a contaminating population of dendritic cells or a small subset of immature thymocytes.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Antigens, CD1
- Antigens, CD3
- Antigens, CD4
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
- Cell Differentiation
- Flow Cytometry
- HIV-1
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- Humans
- In Vitro
- Infant
- Interleukin-2
- Receptors, Interleukin-2
- T-Lymphocytes
- Thymus Gland
- immunology
Other ID:
UI: 102184162
From Meeting Abstracts