In vitro Infection with hiv of antigen-specific t cell clones derived from hiv-seronegative individuals. effects on cytokine production and helper function

Three human T cell clones (TCC) specific for purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were incubated in the presence of polybrene and phytohemagglutinin with irradiated mononuclear cells from one individual exhibiting seropositivity for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and high levels of circulating p24 antigen. After three weeks, TCC showed HIV integration in their DNA, as shown by polymerase chain reaction analysis and Southern blot technique. All the three HIV-infected TCC maintained their ability to recognize the specific antigen, even if their proliferative ability was reduced. The ability of the HIV-infected TCC to produce IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-_y in response to phorbol myristate acetate plus anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody was decreased, whereas their ability to produce TNF-α was unaffected or even enhanced. Two our. of the three HIV-infected TCC showed the ability to provide helper function for polyclonal immunoglobulin production when cocukured with autologous B cells in the absence of any stimulant. These data suggest that in vitro infection of normal human TCC may provide a useful model for the study of immunological alterations induced by HIV. This work was supported by grants from theConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), theMinistero della Sanità, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (contract AI-25372), and theAssociazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC), Roma, Italy. P. Biswas, C. Simonelli and M. Mazzetti were supported by a fellowship of AIRC. M.-P. Piccinni was supported by a fellowship of European Economic Community.