HIV-1 PROVIRAL DNA COPY NUMBER IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD LEUKOCYTES AND BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE CELLS OF AIDS PATIENTS

In this study we have determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) th e quantity of HIV-1 proviral DNA in cells obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from the lung of HIV-1(+) individuals. This has been comp ared quantitatively with the proviral DNA in peripheral blood leucocyt es (PBL) obtained simultaneously from the same patients. The mean HIV DNA copy number per 10(6) cells was 391 for PBL, with a range of 1-900 0, and 2971 for BAL cells, with a range of < 1-70000. The quantity of HIV DNA detected in BAL cells was higher than that detected in the cor responding PBL samples in 44 out of 78 (56%) individuals, whilst more HIV DNA was detected in the PBL compared with BAL cells in 14 out of 7 8 (18%) patients. In both BAL and PBL higher levels of HIV DNA were de tected in the adherent (monocyte/macrophage) enriched cell populations compared with other non-adherent cells (leucocytes). A direct relatio nship between HIV DNA copy number and ability to recover infectious HI V progeny in vitro by cocultivation with cord blood leucocytes was fou nd for both PBL and BAL cells. Individuals known to be receiving azido thymidine treatment had a lower mean HIV DNA load in all cell fraction s compared with those patients on no antiretroviral therapy.