SPERMATOZOA AS POTENTIAL CARRIERS OF HIV

In order to investigate the role of germ cells in the sexual transmiss ion of immunodeficiency virus (HIV), spermatozoa-from healthy HIV-sero negative men were incubated in vitro with HIV 1. After washing, they w ere cocultured with peripheral blood leukocytes from seronegative broo d donors. Reverse transcriptase assays and p24 antigen tests were perf ormed in culture supernatants. Electron microscopy examination of thes e HIV-incubated spermatozoa was carried out, as well as the search for CD4 molecules on their surface. Although virus bound to and seemed to enter spermatozoa despite the absence of detectable CD4 epitopes on t heir surface. no replication of HIV was apparent. However, HIV particl es on the surface of spermatozoa were capable of infecting CD4 T lymph ocytes. Present results would seem to preclude artificial insemination between an HIV-seropositive man and an HIV-seronegative woman.