AEGiS-07IAC: Analysis of HIV infections in CD4 mutants of human macrophage-like cell lines.

7th International AIDS Conference


Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

Print this Article


Analysis of HIV infections in CD4 mutants of human macrophage-like cell lines.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:94 (abstract no. M.A.1009)
Brys L, Verhaegen S, Saman E, Fransen L, van der Groen G, Van Heuverswyn H, De Baetselier P; Institute of Tropical Medicine - Antwerpen - Belgium

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of CD4 in the infection and production of HTLVIIIB in human macrophage-like cell lines, CD4 mutants were generated and tested for their susceptibility towards productive HTLVIIIB infections.

METHODS: U937 and THP-1 cells were treated with mutagens and selected for the absence of CD4 via panning on anti-CD4 coated petri dishes. The selected cell lines were CD4 negative as evaluated by membrane immunofluorescence and Northern blotting analysis. HTLVIIIB infections in these cell lines was monitored by an antigen-capture ELISA, coculture with CD4+ T-cell lines, p24 membrane immunofluorescence, reverse transcriptase activity and PCR.

RESULTS: Infections of these CD4- cell lines with HTLVIIIB showed two patterns of virus production: (i) a low productive infection (detected by coculture with CD4+ acceptor T-cell lines) that weaned away after a few weeks in culture, (ii) a low productive infection becoming highly productive after a latency period of 60-90 days. Both patterns of virus production could be completely blocked or delayed by treatment with CD4-specific antibodies. This observation led to a re-evaluation of the expression of CD4 on these cell lines via PCR analysis. Using a coupled reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR), a weak CD4 signal could be detected in all the putative CD4- cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that an extremely low CD4 signal is still sufficient to promote HIV entry in monocytic cell lines. A productive infection however may be restricted by a low expression of CD4 leading either to abortive or latent viral production. Furthermore the absence of CD4 on putative CD4- cell lines should be considered with caution.

Keywords: AEGIS, Antigens, CD4, HIV Infections, Macrophages, HIV, Tumor Cells, Cultured, HIV Core Protein p24, RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, Cell Line, Clone Cells, HIV Envelope Protein gp120, T-Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Human, analysis, ICA7KWDaegis,antigens,cd4,hivinfections,macrophages,hiv,tumorcells,cultured,hivcoreproteinp24,rna-directeddnapolymerase,cellline,clonecells,hivenvelopeproteingp120,t-lymphocytes,monocytes,human,analysis,ica7
910616
MA1009

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