HIV-1 DNA is detected in bone marrow populations containing CD4+ T cells but is not found in purified CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells in most patients on antiretroviral therapy

Identifying cellular reservoirs of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to finding a cure for HIV-1. In addition to resting CD4(+) T cells, CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells have been proposed as another reservoir. We obtained bone marrow aspirates from 11 patients on ART who had undetectable plasma HIV-1 RNA. HIV-1 DNA was detected in CD4(+) T cells from peripheral blood in all patients and from bone marrow cellular fractions containing T cells in most patients. We did not find HIV-1 DNA in highly purified CD34(+) populations using either a sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction assay or a coculture assay for replication-competent HIV-1.