Conjugates of dendritic cells and memory T lymphocytes from skin facilitate productive infection with HIV-1

M Pope, MGH Betjes, N Romani, H Hirmand… - Cell, 1994 - cell.com
M Pope, MGH Betjes, N Romani, H Hirmand, PU Cameron, L Hoffman, S Gezelter…
Cell, 1994cell.com
Experimentally, a productive infection with HIV-1 requires that virus be administered to T
cells that are activated by mitogens. We describe a productive milieu for HIV-1 within the
confines of normal skin that does not require standard stimuli. The milieu consists of
dendritic cells and T cells that emigrate from skin and produce distinctive stable,
nonprollferatlng conjugates. These conjugates, upon exposure to each of seven different
HIV-1 isolates, begin to release high levels of virus progeny within 4 days. Numerous …
Summary
Experimentally, a productive infection with HIV-1 requires that virus be administered to T cells that are activated by mitogens. We describe a productive milieu for HIV-1 within the confines of normal skin that does not require standard stimuli. The milieu consists of dendritic cells and T cells that emigrate from skin and produce distinctive stable, nonprollferatlng conjugates. These conjugates, upon exposure to each of seven different HIV-1 isolates, begin to release high levels of virus progeny within 4 days. Numerous infected syncytia, comprised of both dendrltic and T cells, rapidly develop. We propose that conjugates of dendritic cells and T cells, as found in the external linings of organs involved In sexual transmission of HIV-l, represent an important site for the productive phase of HIV-1 infection. Because the affected T cells carry the memory phenotype, this site additionally provides a mechanism for the chronic depletion of CD4+ memory cells in HIV-1 disease.
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