AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, May 2, 2005
Staff Medical Writers

According to recent research from the United States, "In untreated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, most viral genomes in resting CD4+ T-cells are not integrated into host chromosomes.

"This unintegrated virus provides an inducible latent reservoir because cellular activation permits integration, virus gene expression, and virus production. It remains controversial whether HIV-1 is stable in this preintegration state."

"Here, we monitored the fate of HIV-1 in resting CD4+ cells by using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter virus carrying an X4 envelope. After virus entry into resting CD4+ T-cells, both rescuable virus gene expression, visualized with GFP, and rescuable virion production, assessed by p24 release, decayed with a half-life of 2 days.

"In these cells, reverse transcription goes to completion over 2 to 3 days, and 50% of the viruses that have entered undergo functional decay before reverse transcription is complete," wrote Y. Zhou and colleagues, Johns Hopkins University.

"We distinguished two distinct but closely related factors contributing to loss of rescuable virus. First, some host cells undergo virus-induced apoptosis upon viral entry, thereby reducing the amount of rescuable virus.

"Second," continued the authors, "decay processes directly affecting the virus both before and after the completion of reverse transcription contribute to the loss of rescuable virus. The functional half-life of full-length, integration-competent reverse transcripts is only 1 day."

Researchers concluded, "We propose that rapid intracellular decay processes compete with early steps in viral replication in infected CD4+ T-cells. Decay processes dominate in resting CD4+ T-cells as a result of the slow kinetics of reverse transcription and blocks at subsequent steps.

"Therefore, the reservoir of unintegrated HIV-1 in recently infected resting CD4+ T-cells is highly labile."

Zhou and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Virology (Kinetics of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 decay following entry into resting CD4+ T cells. J Virol, 2005;79(4):2199-2210).

For more information, contact R.F. Siliciano, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Department Med, Ross 1049, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Virology is: American Society Microbiology, 1752 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20036-2904, USA.

Keywords: Baltimore, Maryland, United States, HIV/AIDS, Viral Reservoir, Immunology and Virology.

This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

Reference

Zhou Y, Zhang H, Siliciano JD, et al., Kinetics of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 decay following entry into resting CD4+ T cells, J Virol. 2005 Feb;79(4):2199-210.

PubMED Related articles Search

050502
AW050503

Copyright © 2005 - Charles Henderson, Publisher. All rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce granted to AEGIS by Charles W. Henderson. Authorization to reproduce for personal use granted granted by C. W. Henderson, Publisher, provided that the fee of US$4.50 per copy, per page is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, USA. Published by Charles Henderson, Publisher. Editorial & Publishing Office: P.O. Box 5528, Atlanta, GA 30307-0528 / Telephone: (800) 633-4931; Subscription Office: P.O. Box 830409, Birmingham, AL 35283-0409 / FAX: (205) 995-1588 http://www.newsrx.net

AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright © 1980,2005. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.