HIV Production from Purified Monocytes Isolated from Antiretroviral-NaÏve and Protease Inhibitor-Treated HIV-1--Infected Patients

Abstract

Purpose: We obtained peripheral blood monocytes from HIV-1-infected patients and differentiated them into macrophages in vitro to investigate the contribution of purified monocytes to plasma viremia in HIV-infected patients. Method: We compared the production of HIV-1 from purified monocytes isolated from patients who were receiving antiviral therapy to those who were not. We obtained monocytes from 29 antiretroviral-nai¨ve (ARVN) patients and 35 protease inhibitor (PI)-treated HIV-infected patients (20 with undetectable plasma HIV). Cells were cultured with phorbol myristate acetate to induce HIV replication. Results: HIV p24 core antigen was present in supernatants of 9/29 (31%) of ARVN patients (mean = 102 pg/mL). In contrast to ARVN patients, p24 was not found in supernatants of any PI-treated patient (p = .01). Thus, purified monocytes from some ARVN patients produce HIV, but we were unable to detect HIV production from monocytes from PI-treated patients, regardless of their virologic response. Conclusion: Monocytes may contribute to plasma viremia in ARVN patients but may not do so in PI-treated patients.