DELETION OF NEF SLOWS BUT DOES NOT PREVENT CD4-POSITIVE T-CELL DEPLETION IN HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE 1-INFECTED HUMAN-PBL-SCID MICE

The pathogenicity of four human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates with nef deleted for SCID mice repopulated with human periphe ral blood leukocytes (hu-PBL-SCID mice) was studied. Deletion of nef l ed to a substantial reduction in CD4-positive T-cell depletion and del ayed kinetics of plasma viremia in infected hu-PBL-SCID mice. Deletion of the nef gene impacts both the efficiency of primary infection and the cytopathicity of virus for infected CD4-positive T cells in this a nimal model of HIV-1 infection.