INTRACELLULAR GSH CONTENT AND HIV REPLICATION IN HUMAN MACROPHAGES

In vitro HIV-1 infection induced a significant decrease in intracellul ar reduced glutathione (GSH) in human macrophages, Such a decrease was observed at the time of infection corresponding to maximum release of virus from infected cells and was not related to cell cytotoxicity, G SH loss was not related to its oxidation or leakage through the cell m embrane, Inhibition of intracellular GSH synthesis by buthionine sulfo ximine (BSO) did not further decrease GSH levels with respect to the d ecrease caused by HIV alone. However, treatment of macrophages with BS O significantly increased the HIV yield in the supernatant. Exogenous GSH strongly suppressed the production of p24 gag protein as well as t he virus infectivity. Previous observations with other RNA and DNA vir uses consistently showed that GSH antiviral effect occurred at late st ages of virus replication and was related to the selective decrease of specific glycoproteins, such as gp120, which are particularly rich in disulfide bonds.