Cellular adherence enhances HIV replication in monocytic cells

Cellular adherence is important for monocyte migration and function and is known to induce monocyte activation, leading to the production of mRNA for several proto-oncogenes and cytokines. In addition, since cellular adherence has important intracellular signalling function, it has the potential to enhance human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in monocytic cells. We have investigated the effects of adhesion of the monocytic cell line THP-1 transfected with HIV1 or HIV2 long terminal repeat chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (LTR CAT) constructs. These studies have shown that adherence to tissue culture plastic or confluent endothelial cells is essential for enhanced HIV LTR CAT expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells. In addition, we have investigated the effects of engagement of specific adhesion molecules, using immobilized antibodies, on HIV replication in the promonocytic cell line OM101, which contains a single latent proviral copy of HIV. Such studies have demonstrated that engagement of CD18, the beta subunit of the lymphocyte function-related antigen-1 (LFA-1) and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) enhanced HIV replication. LFA-1 is involved in both monocyte-endothelial cell interactions and monocyte-T-cell interactions, and MHC II is involved in monocyte interaction with antigen-specific T cells. These data suggest that such interactions of membrane adhesion molecules with their appropriate ligand enhance HIV replication in vivo. Thus, this study has demonstrated that cellular adherence is a key regulatory factor of HIV replication in monocytic cells.