THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR AND HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS GENE-EXPRESSION IN LYMPHOID-TISSUE

In tissue culture models of chronic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TN F-alpha) activate viral gene expression. We sought evidence that TNF-a lpha might similarly regulate viral gene expression in vivo in the maj or lymphoid tissue (LT) reservoir. We used in situ hybridization, quan titative image analysis, and double-label techniques to compare cytoki ne and HIV-1 RNA levels in sections of tonsil and lymph node tissues o btained from individuals in early and later stages of HIV-1 infection. The levels of TNF-alpha gene expression in LT from HIV-1-infected and uninfected individuals were indistinguishable, and we found no correl ation between TNF-alpha gene expression in LT and the level of HIV-1 g ene expression in LT. There is thus little evidence that in vivo TNF-a lpha significantly influences HIV production in LT.