Abstract
Heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) may occur by direct transmucosal spread through intact mucosal membranes. Although the clinical role of mucosal Langerhans cells (LC) in transmission of HIV-1 after mucosal exposure to the virus remains to be elucidated, this study examines possible in vitro mechanisms for HIV-1 transmission by antigen-presenting cells (APC) in mucosa or blood. Purified LC and blood dendritic cells (DC) readily transmit laboratory (IIIB) and patient HIV-1 strains to T cells. Surprisingly, T cells have little capacity for transmitting patient HIV-1 isolates and are only marginally efficient at transmitting the IIIB strain. Furthermore, data by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifications show viral DNA in LC-enriched cultures, but not in LC- depleted cultures. It is speculated that dendritic antigen-presenting cells, but not T cells, are essential for efficient transmission of HIV-1 to target T cells. HIV-1 strains tropic for mucosal dendritic cells may be preferentially selected during sexual transmission of the virus.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 105-111 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Regional Immunology |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| State | Published - 1994 |
| Externally published | Yes |