Immune complexes containing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 primary isolates bind to lymphoid tissue B lymphocytes and are infectious for T lymphocytes

This study investigated the interaction of tonsil B lymphocytes with immune complexes containing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV IC) primary isolate s and the infectivity of the B cell-bound HIV IC. Treatment of virus with a source of antibody and complement increased HIV IC binding to B cells by 5 .6-fold, Most of the HIV IC that bound to B cells were not internalized but remained on the cell surface and were gradually released over 72 h. Cell-b ound EW IC were highly infectious for T cells while virus released by cultu red B cells was only slightly infectious. Removal of HIV IC from the B-cell surface by protease treatment reduced the infection of T cells to near-bac kground levels, indicating that infectious virus remained on the B-cell sur face. These studies show that B lymphocytes can carry and transfer infectio us HIV IC to T cells and thus suggest a novel mode of infection of T cells in lymphoid tissue that could be important for pathogenesis during HIV infe ction.