Dehydrogenase activity of infected cells and biological properties of HIV-1 variants

Changes in dehydrogenase activity of some continuous cell lines were studie d during the response to acute infection in vitro with HIV-1 variants havin g different biological features. Soon after infection, the dehydrogenase ac tivity of infected cells increased, and this increase was greater and more prolonged with the HIV-I r/h variant than with the HIV-1 s/l variant. Later stages showed decreased dehydrogenase activity of HIV-1-infected cells com pared to the noninfected control; this is a manifestation of the cytodestru ctive effect of the virus. The changes increased monotonously (but not in d irect proportion) with an increase in the infecting dose.