HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION OF EARLY-PASSAGE CERVICAL EPITHELIAL CULTURES

Women are infected with HIV in increasing numbers; the predominant mod e of spread is through heterosexual transmission. Little is known rega rding the mechanism of HIV transit through the female genital tract. W e investigated whether early passaage cervical epithelial cells could be directly infected with HIV-1(LAI)(). Virus production was measured using the reverse transcriptase (RT) assay and direct assay for syncy tia-forming units. In-situ hybridization was performed on infected cer vical cell cultures. Immunostaining was carried out using a monoclonal antibody to leukocyte common antigen (LCA). Virus was recovered in th e supernatants of all infected cervical cultures. Localization of HIV infection using in-situ hybridization identified rare cells in the pop ulation which gave a strong signal. These infected cells had a lymphoi d morphology and were also detected using immunostaining for LAC. Cerv ical epithelial cells were uninfected in this in vitro model; cells in this population which supported viral replication were most likely of the macrophage/monocyte lineage.