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Dual tropism of HIV-1 IIIB for chimpanzee lymphocytes and monocytes
M M Eibl1, Z Küpcü, J W Mannhalter
1Institute of Immunology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Insights
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infects chimpanzee monocytes and lymphocytes, unlike in humans. This study resolves the question of HIV-1 macrophage tropism in chimpanzees, revealing differences in viral cell tropism between species.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Primatology
Background:
- Macrophages are a primary reservoir for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in humans.
- Previous studies could not recover HIV-1 from chimpanzee monocyte/macrophage lineage cells, leaving their role in HIV-1 infection unresolved.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the tropism of HIV-1 IIIB in chimpanzee monocytes and lymphocytes in vitro.
- To determine if chimpanzee macrophages support HIV-1 replication and viral particle release.
Main Methods:
- In vitro infection of chimpanzee monocytes and lymphocytes with HIV-1 IIIB.
- Analysis of viral replication using phytohemagglutinin (PHA) blasts.
- Electron microscopy (EM) to visualize HIV particles in infected chimpanzee monocytes.
Main Results:
- HIV-1 IIIB demonstrated dual tropism, infecting both chimpanzee monocytes and lymphocytes in vitro.
- Viral replication was confirmed in chimpanzee monocytes.
- Electron microscopy revealed HIV particles budding from the surface of infected chimpanzee monocytes, differing from the intracellular budding observed in human macrophages.
Conclusions:
- Both lymphocytes and monocyte/macrophage lineage cells replicate HIV-1 in chimpanzees.
- The cell tropism of HIV-1 strains differs between chimpanzees and humans, with chimpanzee monocytes supporting productive viral infection and release.
Abstract:
In humans, macrophages serve as a major reservoir of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in the infected host and may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In HIV-1-infected chimpanzees, however, virus could not be recovered from cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage, leaving the question of macrophage tropism of HIV-1 in this species unresolved. The data reported that HIV-1 IIIB shows dual tropism and is infectious for both chimpanzee monocytes and lymphocytes in vitro. Viral replication in chimpanzee monocytes was clearly demonstrated by infection of allogeneic phytohemagglutinin (PHA) blasts in vitro and by electron microscopy (EM). EM revealed HIV particles associated with 10-15% of the HIV-1 IIIB-infected chimpanzee monocytes. Viral particles budding from the monocyte surface in the typical crescent form were noted as well. This is in contrast to the human situation, where monocytotropic HIV strains preferentially bud into and accumulate in cytoplasmic vacuoles. These results indicate that both lymphocytes and cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage replicate virus in the chimpanzee; the cell tropism of viral strains, however, is different in chimpanzees and humans.
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