2nd National Conference Human Retroviruses and Related Infections Washington, DC - January 29 - February 2, 1995

Natl Conf Hum Retrovir Relat Infect 1995 Jan 29-Feb 2;2: (abstract no. 23)

Weissman D, Li Y, Barker T, Daucher J, Fauci AS
NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD

Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen presenting cells that bind antigens throughout the body and transport them to lymphoid organs in order to initiate T cell immune responses. DC have been demonstrated to be the first cells to arrive at sites of inflammation on mucous membranes. We have isolated 2 populations of DC that express the CD83 molecule, a marker of DC in blood, lymph nodes, and skin. One population efficiently bound HIV and upon co-culture infected unstimulated autologous CD4 positive T cells. This infection is modulated by multiple endogenous and exogenously added cytokines and is dependent on adhesion and activation molecules present on the DC and T cells. Another population of DC that readily bind to T cells have also been isolated from PBMC. These conjugates of DC and T cells are easily infectable with small amounts of virus. A model where DC bind HIV at mucous membranes, travel to lymphoid organs alone or bound to T cells, migrate to the paracortical regions, and initiate active viral replication will be discussed.

Keywords: AIDS Vaccines, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Anti-HIV Agents, Antigens, CD4, CASP4 protein, human, Caspases, Dendritic Cells, HIV, HIV Antigens, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Models, Biological, T-Lymphocytes, immunology, therapy

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1995-01-29
23

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