CD8 dimer usage on alpha beta and gama delta T lymphocytes from equine lymphoid tissues

Eight murine monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were used to identify the equine CD8 alpha or CD8 beta chains and to define the expression of these chains on lymphocytes from various lymphoid tissues. CD8 alpha was a 39 kDa protein and CD8 beta was a 32 kDa protein. Both chains were expressed on most of the CD8+ T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, spleen, thymus, mesenteric lymph nodes and ileal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), however, in each lymphoid compartment a percentage of lymphocytes expressed only the CD8 alpha chain. The largest percentage of CD8 alpha alpha expressing T lymphocytes was 37.7% of the IELs. Purified T lymphocytes from the ileum expressing CD8 alpha beta co-expressed the alpha beta T cell receptor (TCR). In contrast, purified CD8+ T lymphocytes from the PBMC co-expressed either the alpha beta or gamma delta TCR by RT-PCR. Use of pooled anti-CD8 alpha mAb of the murine IgG2a isotype and rabbit complement resulted in lysis of the entire CD8 expressing population in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). These results indicated that CD8 dimer usage by equine T lymphocytes is similar to other species and that the mAb described can be further used to separate equine CD8+ T lymphocyte subsets from the lymphoid tissues to define their function in protection against viral and other infections.     

Productive infection of neonatal CD8+ T lymphocytes by HIV-1

CD8+ T lymphocytes confer significant but ultimately insufficient protection against HIV infection. Here we report that activated neonatal CD8+ T cells can be productively infected in vitro by macrophage-tropic (M-tropic) HIV-1 isolates, which are responsible for disease transmission, whereas they are resistant to T cell-tropic (T-tropic) HIV strains. Physiological activation of CD8-alpha/beta+ CD4- T cell receptor-alpha/beta+ neonatal T cells, including activation by allogeneic dendritic cells, induces the accumulation of CD4 messenger RNA and the expression of CD4 Ag on the cell surface. The large majority of anti-CD3/B7.1-activated cord blood CD8+ T cells coexpress CD4, the primary HIV receptor, as well as CCR5 and CXCR4, the coreceptors used by M- and T-tropic HIV-1 strains, respectively, to enter target cells. These findings are relevant to the rapid progression of neonatal HIV infection. Infection of primary HIV-specific CD8+ T cells may compromise their survival and thus significantly contribute to the failure of the immune system to control the infection. Furthermore, these results indicate a previously unsuspected level of plasticity in the neonatal immune system in the regulation of CD4 expression by costimulation.     

Endogenous production of beta-chemokines by CD4+, but not CD8+, T-cell clones correlates with the clinical state of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals and may be responsible for blocking infection with non-syncytium-inducing HIV-1 in vitro

Recent studies have demonstrated that the beta-chemokines RANTES, MIP-1alpha, and MIP-1beta suppress human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in vitro and may play an important role in protecting exposed but uninfected individuals from HIV-1 infection. However, levels of beta-chemokines in AIDS patients are comparable to and can exceed levels in nonprogressing individuals, indicating that global beta-chemokine production may have little effect on HIV-1 disease progression. We sought to clarify the role of beta-chemokines in nonprogressors and AIDS patients by examination of beta-chemokine production and HIV-1 infection in patient T-lymphocyte clones established by herpesvirus saimiri immortalization. Both CD4+ and CD8+ clones were established, and they resembled primary T cells in their phenotypes and expression of activated T-cell markers. CD4+ T-cell clones from all patients had normal levels of mRNA-encoding CCR5, a coreceptor for non-syncytium-inducing (NSI) HIV-1. CD4+ clones from nonprogressors and CD8+ clones from AIDS patients secreted high levels of RANTES, MIP1alpha, and MIP-1beta. In contrast, CD4+ clones from AIDS patients produced no RANTES and little or no MIP-1alpha or MIP-1beta. The infection of CD4+ clones with the NSI HIV-1 strain ADA revealed an inverse correlation to beta-chemokine production; clones from nonprogressors were poorly susceptible to ADA replication, but clones from AIDS patients were highly infectable. The resistance to ADA infection in CD4+ clones from nonprogressors could be partially reversed by treatment with anti-beta-chemokine antibodies. These results indicate that CD4+ cells can be protected against NSI-HIV-1 infection in culture through endogenously produced factors, including beta-chemokines, and that beta-chemokine production by CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells may constitute one mechanism of disease-free survival for HIV-1-infected individuals.     

Control of viremia in simian immunodeficiency virus infection by CD8+ lymphocytes

Clinical evidence suggests that cellular immunity is involved in controlling human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) replication. An animal model of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus monkey, was used to show that virus replication is not controlled in monkeys depleted of CD8+ lymphocytes during primary SIV infection. Eliminating CD8+ lymphocytes from monkeys during chronic SIV infection resulted in a rapid and marked increase in viremia that was again suppressed coincident with the reappearance of SIV-specific CD8+ T cells. These results confirm the importance of cell-mediated immunity in controlling HIV-1 infection and support the exploration of vaccination approaches for preventing infection that will elicit these immune responses.     

Downregulation of T cell receptor expression by CD8(+) lymphocytes in kidney allografts

Allospecific CD8(+) T lymphocytes are an important component of the cellular response in allograft rejection. These cells recognize and engage MHC class I antigens, leading to allospecific cytolytic responses and graft rejection. In mouse kidney allografts that survive to 3 wk after transplantation, we noted that the majority of CD8(+) cells do not express surface alpha/beta T cell receptor alpha/beta(TCR), gamma/deltaTCR, or CD3. However, these CD8(+)TCR- cells did express surface markers characteristic of T cells, including Thy1.2, CD2, and CD5. In addition, the CD8(+)TCR- cells expressed mRNA for TCR Vbeta gene families, and nearly half stained positive for cytoplasmic Vbeta8 protein, suggesting that they are T cells that have downregulated alpha/betaTCR protein expression from their cell surfaces. When these surface TCR- cells were isolated from kidney allografts by flow cytometry and cultured in the presence of either allogeneic or syngeneic stimulators, nearly 100% of cells reacquired normal levels of alpha/betaTCR expression with disproportionate usage of Vbeta8 chains. After recovery of their surface TCR expression, the CD8(+)TCR- population demonstrated strong alloreactivity in culture. These results suggest that the substantial number of CD8(+)TCR- cells found in long-term surviving mouse kidney allografts are alpha/beta-T cells that have downregulated their cell surface expression of TCR. While in other systems this phenotype may identify cells that have engaged antigen, our results indicate that loss of TCR expression by CD8(+) kidney graft-infiltrating cells may not depend on antigen engagement and that elements in the microenvironment of the kidney graft play a key role in this process. Factors that modulate expression of TCR by graft-infiltrating lymphocytes may have an important role in regulating rejection responses.     

Evaluation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses utilizing B-lymphoblastoid cell lines transduced with the CD4 gene and infected with HIV-1

Analysis of major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) capable of killing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected targets is essential for elucidating the basis for HIV-1 disease progression and the potential efficacy of candidate vaccines. The use of primary CD4+ T cells with variable infectivity as targets for such studies has significant limitations, and immortal autologous cells with high levels of CD4 expression that can be consistently infected with HIV-1 would be of much greater utility. Therefore, we transduced Epstein-Barr-virus-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) with a retroviral vector, LT4SN, containing the human CD4 gene. Stable LCL in which more than 95% of cells expressed membrane CD4 were obtained. Aliquots were infected with HIV-1, and, after 4 to 7 days, nearly all of the cells contained cytoplasmic gag and produced high levels of p24 antigen. The ability of major histocompatibility complex-restricted CD8+ CTL to lyse such HIV-1-infected CD4-transduced LCL (LCL-CD4HIV-1) was evaluated. These autologous targets were lysed by CTL generated from an HIV-1-uninfected vaccinee over a broad range of effector-to-target ratios. Similarly, the LCL-CD4HIV-1 were efficiently lysed by fresh circulating CTL from HIV-1-infected individuals, as well as by CTL activated by in vitro stimulation. Both HIV-1 env- and gag-specific CTL effectors lysed LCL-CD4HIV-1, consistent with the cellular expression of both HIV-1 genes. The LCL-CD4HIV also functioned as stimulator cells, and thus are capable of amplifying CTL against multiple HIV-1 gene products in HIV-1-infected individuals. The ability to produce HIV-1-susceptible autologous immortalized cell lines that can be employed as target cells should enable a more detailed evaluation of vaccine-induced CTL against both homologous and disparate HIV-1 strains. Furthermore, the use of LCL-CD4HIV-1 should facilitate the analysis of the range of HIV-1 gene products recognized by CTL in seropositive persons.     

Demonstration of identical expanded clones within both CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cell subsets in HIV type 1-infected individuals

In HIV-1-infected individuals, the CD8+CD28- T cell subset is considerably expanded and is frequently the largest subset of T cells found in peripheral blood. It has been assumed, but not proven, that CD8+CD28- T cells derive from CD8+CD28+ T cells in vivo. To further study the ontogeny of CD8+CD28- T cells, we have performed analyses of the complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) of the TCRB of CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cells from the peripheral blood of HIV-1-infected individuals. When cells from the same individual were compared, expanded peaks in CDR3 length analysis within a given BV family were frequently observed at the same location in both CD8+ subsets (p < 0.001). Sequencing of cDNA corresponding to dominant peaks revealed the presence of identical expanded CD8+ T cell clones within both the CD28+ and CD28- subsets on eight of nine attempts. Our results show that CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cells are phenotypic variants of the same lineage, most likely evolving from CD8+CD28+ to end-stage CD8+CD28- T cells.     

Anti-fungal and cytokine producing activities of CD8 + T lymphocytes from HIV-1 infected individuals

Lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells are capable of killing not only malignant cells but also hyphal form of Candida albicans in vitro. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from normal healthy donors were cultured for 72-96 hrs with 1,500 international unit (IU)/ml interleukin-2 (IL-2), marked LAK activity was induced. However, even prior to IL-2 activation, PBMC isolated from some normal subjects and those from almost all individuals who are infected by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) exhibited significant levels of anti-fungal activity. Such pre-activation ("in situ") antifungal activity of PBMC decreased during the initial 48 hrs of IL-2 activation. PBMC from HIV-1 seropositive subjects showed higher levels of "in situ" anti-fungal activity than normal PBMC did. After a decline of "in situ" activity during the initial 48 hours, LAK activity gradually increased and reached near maximal levels by day 4 and remained more or less constant until day 6. No significant difference was observed between the LAK activity of normal and HIV-1(+) PBMCs on days 4-6. In IL-2 activated normal and HIV-1(+) PBMC cultures, both CD4 and CD8 T cells produced IL-2, INF-gamma as well as TNF-alpha. Production of IL-2 by both CD4 and CD8 T cells was suppressed in HIV-1(+) PBMC cultures, but no significant suppression of INF-gamma production was noted. Meanwhile, TNF-alpha production by CD4 was very much suppressed but no significant changes in TNF-alpha production by CD8 T cells was noted in HIV-1(+) PBMC cultures.     

Role of Fas ligand and receptor in the mechanism of T-cell depletion in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: effect on CD4+ lymphocyte depletion and human immunodeficiency virus replication

Direct killing of CD4+ lymphocytes by human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) probably cannot account for the magnitude of the loss of these cells during the course of HIV-1 infection. Experimental evidence supports a pathophysiologic role of the apoptotic process in depletion of CD4 cells in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The Fas-receptor/Fas-ligand (Fas-R/Fas-L) system mediates signals for apoptosis of susceptible lymphocytes and lympoblastoid cell lines. A number of investigators have recently reported increased expression of the Fas receptor in individuals with HIV infection, along with increased sensitivity of their lymphocytes to anti-Fas antibody mimicking Fas ligand. We attempted to determine the role of Fas-mediated apoptosis in disease progression and viral replication. Increased Fas-receptor (CD95) expression on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes was found in a large group of HIV-1-infected patients compared with normal controls; individuals with a diagnosis of AIDS and a history of opportunistic infection had significantly more Fas receptor expression than did asymptomatic HIV-infected persons and normal blood donor controls (P < .01). Triggering of the Fas-R by agonistic anti-Fas monoclonal antibody, CH11, was preferentially associated with apoptosis in the CD4+ cells; this effect was more pronounced in lymphocytes derived from HIV+ individuals. Soluble and membrane-bound forms of Fas-L were produced in greater amounts in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures and in plasma obtained from HIV-1-infected persons than from normal controls. Furthermore, triggering of lymphocytes from HIV-infected persons by CH11 increased levels of interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE), a protein associated with apoptosis. When PBMC were cultured in the presence of CH11, p24 production per number of viable cells was decreased as compared with the same PBMC without CH11 (P < .01). These findings suggest that multiple mechanisms, including increased production of Fas-L by infected PBMC, increased Fas-R expression, and induction of a protease of ICE family, may play roles in the apoptotic depletion of CD4+ cells in HIV infection.     

HLA compatibility requirements for CD8(+)-T-cell-mediated suppression of human immunodeficiency virus replication

CD8(+) T cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals can suppress HIV replication in cultured CD4(+) cells by a noncytotoxic mechanism. Efficient suppression of HIV replication (>90% reduction) does not require HLA class I or class II histocompatibility between the effector CD8(+) T cells and the infected target CD4(+) T cells. However, maximal control of HIV production occurs when the CD8(+) effector cells and CD4(+) target cells are syngeneic. In some cases, more than 20-fold fewer syngeneic CD8(+) T cells were required to achieve the same degree of HIV inhibition as HLA-mismatched CD8(+) T cells. The increased antiviral activity seen in the syngeneic setting did not map exclusively to either the HLA class I or class II locus. These findings suggest that genetic compatibility (potentially, but not necessarily, at the HLA class I and class II loci) regulates CD8(+) T-cell noncytotoxic antiviral activity against infected CD4(+) T cells.     

The envelope glycoprotein ectodomains determine the efficiency of CD4+ T lymphocyte depletion in simian-human immunodeficiency virus-infected macaques

CD4+ T lymphocyte depletion in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected humans underlies the development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Using a model in which rhesus macaques were infected with chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs), we show that both the level of viremia and the structure of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein ectodomains individually contributed to the efficiency with which CD4(+) T lymphocytes were depleted. The envelope glycoproteins of recombinant SHIVs that efficiently caused loss of CD4(+) T lymphocytes exhibited increased chemokine receptor binding and membrane-fusing capacity compared with those of less pathogenic viruses. These studies identify the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein ectodomains as determinants of CD4(+) T lymphocyte loss in vivo and provide a foundation for studying pathogenic mechanisms.     

Specific regulation of VLA-4 and alpha 4 beta 7 integrin expression on human activated T lymphocytes

Modulation of VLA integrins was studied in several human T cell clones upon specific and nonspecific cellular activation. Human activated T lymphocytes down-regulated both alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 4 beta 7 integrins upon specific recognition of alloantigens (cytotoxic T cells) or in the presence of Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (superantigen recognizing noncytotoxic T cells). In contrast, the expression of other membrane integrins, such as VLA-1 and VLA-5 integrins, was not modified. Down-regulation of alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 4 beta 7 integrins was observed as early as 3 h after stimulation, lasted later than 72 h and was partially inhibited by cytochalasin D. Interestingly, neither target cells nor NK cells modulated CD49d expression after interaction with T cells of K562, respectively, suggesting that CD49d expression was linked to specific T cell activation. The down-regulation of the CD49d chain in T cell clones stimulated with immobilized anti-CD3 mAbs confirmed the role of TCR-mediated activation in CD49d regulation. However, the CD3-independent cellular aggregation induced by soluble anti-CD43 mAb was also able to strongly down-regulate alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 4 beta 7. The present work shows the first evidence that CD49d subunit-bearing integrin expression is distinctly regulated from other integrins after Ag or superantigen recognition by human activated T cells. CD49d modulation may be relevant for the traffic and tissue localization of locally activated T cells during immune responses.     

Characterization of circulating CD4+ CD8+ lymphocytes in healthy individuals prompted by identification of a blood donor with a markedly elevated level of CD4+ CD8+ lymphocytes

During flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes from healthy donors, we identified a donor (donor A) with 22% CD4+ CD8+ cells (versus values of < 4% for 65 other controls). To determine if CD4+ CD8+ cells from donor A and other controls were similar, we first defined the phenotypic profile of control CD4+ CD8+ cells. Enriched CD4+ CD8+ cell populations for 10 controls were prepared by a two-step positive selection scheme with anti-CD4-coated magnetic beads and anti-CD8-coated culture flasks; the selected population averaged 69% CD4+ CD8+ cells and 31% CD4+ CD8- cells. For all 10 controls, two subsets of CD4+ CD8+ cells, CD4dim CD8bright and CD4bright CD8dim, were observed. Phenotypic profiles of these two CD4+ CD8+ subsets were defined by pairing anti-CD8 with other monoclonal antibodies, and the profiles were compared with each other and with those of CD4+ CD8-, CD4- CD8bright, and CD4- CD8dim cells. CD8bright and CD4bright CD8dim cells differed in their proportions of CD62-L+ cells and in their levels of CD11a and CD2 expression. Both CD4+ CD8+ subsets resembled CD4+ CD8- cells in CD45RA, CD45RO, and CD25 expression; the comparable CD- CD8+ cells in CD62-L expression; and CD4- CD8bright cells in CD11b, CD11b, CD16/56, and CD28 expression. CD38 expression in both CD4+ CD8+ subsets was decreased compared with those of other cell subsets. Whereas control CD4+ CD8+ cells averaged 33% CD4dim CD8bright, CD4+ CD8+ cells from donor A were > 90% CD4dim CD8bright. Donor A CD4dim CD8bright cells exhibited proportional decreases in CD25 and CD62-L expression and increases in CD11b and CD54 expression compared with those of control CD4dim CD8bright cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Elevated levels of serum-soluble CD14 in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection: correlation to disease progression and clinical events

Soluble (s) CD14, a marker for monocyte/macrophage activation and a mediator of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) action, was elevated in serum from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV- 1)-infected individuals (n = 92) compared with seronegative controls. The highest levels were found in patients with advanced clinical and immunological disease. Patients with ongoing clinical events had significantly higher sCD14 levels than symptomatic HIV-1-infected individuals without clinical events, with especially elevated levels in patients infected with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). On longitudinal testing of patients (n = 26) with less than 100 x 10(6) CD4 lymphocytes/L at baseline, we found that increasing sCD14 serum concentrations per time unit were associated with death, whereas no differences in CD4 cell number decrease were found between survivors and nonsurvivors. In vitro studies showed that HIV-1 glycoprotein 120 and purified protein derivative (PPD) from M avium (MAC-PPD) stimulated normal monocytes to release sCD14. Furthermore, MAC-PPD induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) release from monocytes through interactions with CD14 and, importantly, the addition of sCD14 enhanced this MAC-PPD stimulatory effect. Our findings suggest that the CD14 molecule may be involved in the immunopathogenesis of HIV-1 infection, and it is conceivable that serial determination of sCD14 may give useful predictive information concerning disease progression and survival in HIV-1-infected patients.     

Effect of ethanol on monocytic function in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

We have developed a novel system to study monocytic function after human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection by infecting a series of human macrophage hybridoma cell lines with HIV-1. Since ethanol has detrimental effects on immune function, we investigated the effect of ethanol and its metabolites acetaldehyde and acetate on monocytic function by utilizing one human macrophage hybridoma cell line, clone 43, as well as primary monocytes. Pretreatment of clone 43 and primary monocytes with ethanol and its metabolites resulted in diminished accessory cell function for mitogen-, anti-CD3-, and antigen-induced T-cell proliferation. The decreased accessory cell function was associated with reduced interleukin 1alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha production with loss of intracellular cytokine and mRNA production and the induction of transforming growth factor beta. In ethanol-, acetaldehyde-, and acetate-treated HIV-1-infected clone 43 cells (43HIV), there was a more rapid loss (3 days after infection) of accessory cell function at a lower infecting dose of HIV-1 than that in untreated 43HIV cells. We also observed a more rapid loss of surface class II antigen expression in the ethanol-, acetaldehyde-, and acetate-treated 43HIV cells, but no change in surface expression of CD80 or CD86. Ethanol-induced impairment of monocytic function may compound the immunologic defects of AIDS, making the infected individual more susceptible to the complications of the disease.     

The CD8+ cell phenotype mediating antiviral activity in feline immunodeficiency virus-infected cats is characterized by reduced surface expression of the CD8 beta chain

The acute stage of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection is characterized by a CD8+ anti-FIV response that parallels the appearance of a CD8+ subpopulation with reduced expression of the beta chain (CD8 alpha + beta lo). The relationship between the CD8 alpha + beta lo phenotype and CD8+ anti-FIV activity was examined. Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with anti-CD8 beta chain monoclonal antibody 117 revealed that the CD8 alpha + beta lo phenotype expanded throughout the asymptomatic infection, constituting 80%-90% of the CD8 beta + cells in long-term-infected cats. Purified CD8 alpha + beta hi and CD8 alpha + beta lo subpopulations were analyzed for anti-FIV activity in an acute infection assay. Anti-FIV activity resided principally in the CD8 alpha + beta lo population and was demonstrated in acute FIV infections, as well as in long-term asymptomatic infections. These data suggest that a unique CD8 alpha + beta lo anti-FIV phenotype arises early in infection and may play a major role in eliminating virus and maintaining the asymptomatic infection.     

Differential susceptibility of naive and memory CD4+ T cells to the cytopathic effects of infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 strain LAI

CD4+ T lymphocytes of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) exhibit a qualitative defect in their ability to mount memory responses to previously encountered antigens although their responses to mitogens remain normal. T cells responsible for memory responses can be distinguished from naive T cells based on differential expression of isoforms of the tyrosine phosphatase CD45. It has been suggested that memory CD4+ T cells from infected individuals have a greater virus burden than naive CD4+ T cells and that this accounts for the loss of recall responses in infected individuals. However, it has been unclear whether naive and memory T cells are equally susceptible to infection and to the cytopathic effects of the virus. We therefore infected highly purified resting naive and memory CD4+ T cells from HIV-1-seronegative individuals with HIV-1(LAI). Infected cells were then stimulated with phytohemagglutinin to render them permissive for viral replication. Cell viability and growth rate were monitored for 8 to 10 days as indicators of cytopathic effects induced by HIV-1(LAI). Our results indicated that naive and memory CD4+ T cells display marked differences in susceptibility to the cytopathic effects induced by HIV-1(LAI), infection. The cytopathic effects induced by HIV-1(LAI) were much more severe in memory CD4+ T cells than in naive CD4+ T cells. Differential cytopathic effects in naive and memory T cells were not due to differences in virus entry into and replication in these cell populations. Rather, memory cells were more susceptible to cytopathic effects. Pronounced cytopathic effects in memory cells were clearly detectable at 7 day postinfection. Cell death occurred at the single-cell level and was not accompanied by syncytium formation. The growth rate of infected memory CD4+ T cells was also severely compromised compared to that of naive CD4+ T cells, whereas the growth rates of both uninfected naive and memory CD4+ T cells were approximately the same. At least a portion of the dying cells exhibited biochemical changes characteristic of apoptosis. These results suggest that the selective functional defects present in the memory CD4+ T-cell subset of HIV-1-infected individuals may in part be the result of the greater susceptibility of memory T cells to cytopathic effects induced by HIV-1.     

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 envelope glycoprotein binds to CD8 as well as to CD4 molecules on human T cells

We report here that human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) envelope glycoprotein (gp105), but not HIV-1 gp120, can bind to CD8 molecules as well as to CD4 molecules on human T cells. This phenomenon may lead to differences in the life cycles of HIV-1 and HIV-2, and it may be related to the differences in disease manifestations of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection, including longer survival of HIV-2-infected patients.