Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Journal of Virology, February 2001, p. 1152-1164, Vol. 75, No. 3
AIDS Vaccine Program1
and Intramural Research Support
Program,2 SAIC-Frederick, National Cancer
Institute Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick,
Maryland 21702-1201
Received 23 August 2000/Accepted 6 November 2000
Increased levels of apoptosis are seen in human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) infection, and this has been proposed as an important mechanism contributing to HIV pathogenesis. However, interpretation of
in vitro studies aimed at understanding HIV-related apoptosis has been
complicated by the use of high concentrations of recombinant proteins
or by direct cytopathic effects of replicating virus. We have developed
an inactivation procedure that destroys retroviral infectivity while
preserving the structural and functional integrity of the HIV surface
proteins. These noninfectious virions interact authentically with
target cells, providing a powerful tool to dissect mechanisms of HIV
pathogenesis that do or do not require viral replication. Noninfectious
CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 virions, but not microvesicles, partially activated
freshly isolated CD4+ and CD8+ peripheral blood
mononuclear cell T lymphocytes to express FasL and Fas, but not CD69 or
CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor alpha) and eventually die via apoptosis
starting 4 to 6 days postexposure. These effects required
conformationally intact virions, as heat-denatured virions or
equivalent amounts of recombinant gp120 did not induce apoptosis. The
maximal apoptotic effect was dependent on major histocompatibility
complex (MHC) class II proteins being present on the virion, but was
not MHC restricted. The results suggest that the immunopathogenesis of
HIV infection may not depend solely on direct cytopathic effects of HIV
replication, but that effects due to noninfectious HIV-1 virions may
also contribute importantly.
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.3.1152-1164.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Partial Activation and Induction of Apoptosis in
CD4+ and CD8+ T Lymphocytes by Conformationally
Authentic Noninfectious Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type
1

*
Corresponding author, Mailing address: Building 535, Room 509, Retroviral Pathogenesis Laboratory, AIDS Vaccine Program,
SAIC-Frederick, National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD
21702. Phone: (301) 846 5019. Fax: (301) 846 5588. E-mail:
lifson{at}avpvx1.ncifcrf.gov.
This paper is dedicated in loving memory of
Kalachar Suryanarayana.
Deceased.
This article has been cited by other articles:
| J. Bacteriol. | Mol. Cell. Biol. | Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. |
|---|
| Clin. Vaccine Immunol. | ALL ASM JOURNALS |
|---|