PRODUCTIVE IN-VITRO INFECTION OF HUMAN UMBILICAL VEIN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS AND 3 COLON-CARCINOMA CELL-LINES WITH HIV-1

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of HIV-1 to esta blish an in vitro infection of primary human umbilical vein endothelia l cells (HUVEC). The HUVEC and colon carcinoma cell lines were inocula ted with different isolates of HIV-1 (HIV-1(SF2), HIV-1(MeK) and HIV-1 (LAI)) and productive viral infection was assessed by both the detecti on of p24 core antigen in the culture supernatants and the presence of specific spliced HIV mRNA. The infection which was detected in the in oculated HUVEC and all the colon carcinoma cell lines could not be blo cked using an antibody targeted against the CD4 receptor. Furthermore, the HIV-inoculated HUVEC secreted elevated levels of IL-6 and this in crease was found to be proportional to the size of the viral inoculum. No changes in the production of IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha and I FN-gamma were detected following HIV infection. The colon carcinoma ce lls, however, did not secrete increased levels of these cytokines foll owing HIV-1 inoculation. These results confirm that non-CD4 expressing cells, such as endothelial cells and certain colon epithelial cells, serve as targets and reservoirs for HIV. Moreover, the production of I L-6 by HIV-infected endothelial cells may be a contributing factor to the aberrant immunoregulation associated with HIV infection in vivo.