AEGiS-07IAC: In vitro HIV-1 infection of human bone marrow eosinophils

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

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In vitro HIV-1 infection of human bone marrow eosinophils

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:92 (abstract no. M.A.1000)
Freedman A, Gibson F, Fleming S, Spry C, Griffin G; St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential of HIV-1 to infect human eosinophils in vitro.

METHODS: Bone marrow aspirates from healthy human volunteers were cultured in medium supplemented with recombinant human Interleukin-5 (IL-5) to promote eosinophil differentiation. After 1-3 weeks cultures were inoculated with cell-free HIV-1 supernatants and maintained for a total of 8 weeks. At weekly intervals aliquots of culture supernatant were removed for reverse transcriptase (RT), p24 and Jurkat co-culture assays and cells harvested for cytospin slide preparation. Slides were stained by immuno-alkaline phosphatase for CD4 and HIV-1 p24 and gp41 and by in-situ hybridisation (ISH) for HIV-1 RNA.

RESULTS: CD4 expression by eosinophil precursors was maximal in the first 4 weeks with a gradual decline thereafter. At 2-4 weeks after viral inoculation eosinophils were positive for HIV by both immunostaining and ISH. Productive HIV infection was confirmed by co-culture experiments and the demonstration of rising p24 and RT activity in supernatants.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Human eosinophils, produced from IL-5 stimulated bone marrow cultures, express CD4 early in their maturation and are susceptible to infection by HIV-1. The possibility that eosinophils are a target for HIV infection in vivo has important implications for disease pathogenesis.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV-1, HIV Core Protein p24, HIV Infections, Eosinophils, Antigens, CD4, RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, HIV Envelope Protein gp41, HIV, Interleukin-5, Bone Marrow, HIV Seronegativity, Human, In Vitro, complications, immunology, ICA7KWDaegis,hiv-1,hivcoreproteinp24,hivinfections,eosinophils,antigens,cd4,rna-directeddnapolymerase,hivenvelopeproteingp41,hiv,interleukin-5,bonemarrow,hivseronegativity,human,invitro,complications,immunology,ica7
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MA1000

Copyright © 1991 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.