Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) non-B subtypes are similar to HIV-1 subtype B in that coreceptor specificity is a determinant of cytopathicity in human lymphoid tissue infected ex vivo

We sought to determine the relationship between virus-mediated CD4(+) T-lym phocyte cytopathicity,and viral coreceptor preference among various human i mmunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtypes in an ex vivo-infected human lymphoid, tissue model. Oar data show that all R5 HIV-1 infections resulted in mild depletion of CD4(+) T lymphocytes, whereas all X4 HIV-1 infections caused severe depletion of CD4(+) T lymphocytes regardless of their subtyp e origin. Thus, at least for the viruses within subtypes A, B, C, and E tha t were tested, coreceptor specificity is a critical factor that determines the ability of HIV-1 to deplete CD4(+) T cells in human lymphoid tissue inf ected ex vivo.