WHICH NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTS FOR OPTIMAL HIV-1 PRODUCTION BY CULTURED HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES

Under standard conditions, all established cell-lines of HIV-1-infecte d lymphocytes are cultured in a medium containing a high percentage of serum. We have found that whilst partial or total serum depletion imp edes their cell growth, it dramatically increases their virus producti on. Serial subcultures in serum-depleted medium are necessary to insur e permanent cell growth and a relatively high reverse transcriptase ac tivity. Following optimization of culture conditions, both HIV-infecte d and uninfected H9 cells have been regularly grown in a new protein-f ree medium. Such chemically defined culture conditions were required t o detect the effect of minor components, such as vitamins, on host cel l-virus interactions.