AEGiS-11IAC: Germinal center CD4+ T cells are the main site of HIV replication in vivo.

11th International AIDS Conference


Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

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Germinal center CD4+ T cells are the main site of HIV replication in vivo.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:14 (abstract no. We.A.402)
Hufert FT, Bertram S, van Lunzen J, Schmitz J, Haller O, Racz P, von Laer D; Abt. Virologie, Institut fur Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Universitat Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. Fax: +49-761-2036603. E-mail: hufert@sun1.ukl.uni-freiburg.de.

OBJECTIVE: CD4+ T cells are the main target for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the highest HIV antigen concentration in infected subjects accumulates on the cell surface of follicular dendritic cells in the germinal centers of the lymphoid tissue. Germinal centers contain a T helper cell subset which express CD57 molecules. Here we analyzed virus replication and viral load in CD57+ CD4+ germinal center T cells and in the CD4+ T cells found mostly outside germinal centers (CD57- CD4+).

METHODS: PBMC and cells from lymph nodes were prepared, stained for CD4 and CD57 and purified by FACS. Defined cell numbers of CD4+CD57+ cells and CD4+CD57- cells were sorted directly into PCR tubes by a FACS, equipped with an automated cell deposition unit and analyzed by PCR to detect proviral DNA. Based on Poisson distribution, the expected level of infection was calculated. Viral replication was determined by amplifying double-spliced, single-spliced, and full-length transcripts of HIV using serially diluted cDNA of the FACS-sorted cells.

RESULTS: An up to 10fold higher frequency of infected cells was found in the CD57+ CD4+ germinal center T cells compared to CD57-CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, active viral replication was detected almost exclusively in the CD57+ CD4+ T cells.

CONCLUSIONS: The CD57+ CD4+ germinal center T cells are the main site of HIV infection and replication in vivo and must therefore be considered in the pathogenesis of HIV infection.

Keywords: AEGIS, Antigens, CD4, Germinal Center, T-Lymphocytes, Virus Replication, HIV Infections, Antigens, CD57, Viral Load, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, Lymph Nodes, Dendritic Cells, Follicular, Anti-HIV Agents, Lymphoid Tissue, Human, virology, ICA11KWDaegis,antigens,cd4,germinalcenter,t-lymphocytes,virusreplication,hivinfections,antigens,cd57,viralload,t-lymphocytesubsets,lymphnodes,dendriticcells,follicular,anti-hivagents,lymphoidtissue,human,virology,ica11

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