7th International AIDS Conference Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:103 (abstract no. M.A.1046)
Toniolo A, Serra C, Arca MV, Babudieri S, Dolei A; Dpt. of Biomedicine, University of Pisa, Italy

OBJECTIVE: Adherent cells capable of expressing selected leukocyte markers were produced to analyze the relationships between surface receptor molecules and susceptibility to some lymphotropic agents.

METHODS: Somatic hybridization of human leukocytes with human epithelial cell lines (together with immunoselection) allowed to obtain 22 different cell lines expressing selectively the CD3, CD4, CD21, or DR membrane receptors. These cells were challenged with HIV, EBV, or HHV-6; virus yield and cytopathic effects were evaluated (virus titration, measurement of viral antigens, detection of infectious foci).

RESULTS: As expected, productive infection with HIV-1 occurred in CD4-positive hybrids (although the sensitivity of individual lines varied), and EBV (strain B95-8) replicated in cells carrying the CD21 marker. Certain hybrid lines expressing high levels of the HLA class II DR molecule were capable of producing infectious HHV-6 (Uganda strain) but this occurred also in cells of endothelial and thyroid origin which are devoid of this marker; thus, the receptor specificity of HHV-6 remains unclear.

CONCLUSIONS: By means of somatic cell hybridization we obtained cell lines producing constitutively leukocyte markers which are relevant to viral susceptibility. This technique should allow us to explore virus-receptor relationships even in cases where genomic constructs specific for the marker under study are not available.

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