INHIBITION OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY TYPE-1 VIRUS-REPLICATION IN MONOCYTIC U-937 CELLS BY SUPERINFECTION WITH CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of infection of m onocytic cells with both the human immunodeficiency type 1 virus (HIV- 1) and Chlamydia trachomatis on the replication of each pathogen. U-93 7 cells, chronically infected with HIV-1 (strain Lav(Lai)), either ind uced to differentiate into immature macrophage-like cells by 32 pM 12- O-tetradecanol phorbol-13-acetate or uninduced, were superinfected wit h C. trachomatis serovar L2. Both HIV-1 infection and differentiation rendered the U-937 cells highly susceptible to C. trachomatis lytic in fection. Differentiation and superinfection of HIV-l-infected cells wi th C. trachomatis both affected cell viability and reduced viral produ ction in vitro. RT activity was one tenth the original value after dif ferentiation of HTV-1-infected cells, one twentieth the original value after superinfection with C. trachomatis, and one hundredth the origi nal value after differentiation and superinfection with C. trachomatis .