HIV-1 DNA AND MESSENGER-RNA CONCENTRATIONS ARE SIMILAR IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONOCYTES AND ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES IN HIV-1-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS

Objective: To determine the relative contribution of alveolar macropha ges, peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from HIV-infected individuals to HIV-1 viral load. Methods: Alv eolar macrophages were obtained by flexible bronchoscopy, and PBM and PBL by venipuncture from HIV-1-infected individuals. Alveolar macropha ges and PBM were purified using immunomagnetic bead selection to deple te CD3+ and CD19+ cells from bronchoalveolar lavage and peripheral blo od mononuclear cells, respectively. DNA and mRNA were extracted and ga g copy number quantified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rev erse transcriptase PCR. The titres of infectious cell-associated HIV-1 in cells were determined by the endpoint dilution coculture technique for alveolar macrophages and PBM. Results: Alveolar macrophages and P BM from HIV-1-infected subjects (n = 11) contained equivalent concentr ations of HIV-1 DNA and HIV-1 mRNA as determined by PCR and reverse tr anscriptase PCR, respectively. Antiretroviral therapy was associated w ith reduced viral DNA concentrations in alveolar macrophages but not i n PBM. PBL had a significantly higher level of proviral DNA and mRNA t han alveolar macrophages or PBM. Conclusions: Although alveolar macrop hages infected in vitro are more permissive for HIV-1 replication than PBM, this difference could not be demonstrated in vivo. (C) 1998 Lipp incott-Raven Publishers.