Interrelations of lymphocyte subset values, human immunodeficiency virus antibodies, and HIV antigen levels of homosexual males in San Francisco.

Serum and leukocytes from a cohort of homosexual males were analyzed to determine the interrelationships of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), serum HIV antigen levels, and phenotypical differences in lymphocyte subpopulations of HIV antibody-positive (HIV Ab+) and HIV antibody-negative (HIV Ab-) homosexual males. Significant reductions were observed in the percentages of B lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD4+ kappa lambda- T lymphocytes and the CD4+/CD8+ ratios of HIV Ab+ homosexual males in comparison to HIV Ab- homosexual males. Significant increases were observed in the percentages of CD8+, CD8+ CD11b-, CD8+ kappa lambda-, CD8+ DR+, CD8+Leu7+, and Leu7+ lymphocytes of HIV Ab+ study subjects.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of antiretroviral effects of HPA23.

HPA23 is an antimonio-tungstate that exhibits numerous antiviral activities both in vivo and in vitro. It has been described as a competitive inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT). Patients treated with daily injections of HPA23 show an inhibition of HIV RT activity in cell culture in 60% of the cases.

Reverse transcriptase activity (RTA) in lymphocyte cultures of HIV-infected patients receiving short treatments of HPA 23. A biological evaluation.

Ammonium tungsto antimoniate (HPA 23) is a potent inhibitor of nucleic acid polymerases and reverse transcriptases of retroviruses. Its in vivo activity as an HIV inhibitor was previously published. However, its clinical use is limited by pharmacological parameters (short half-life and intravenous administration) and significant side effects (thrombocytopenia).

Inactivation and partition of human immunodeficiency virus during Kistler and Nitschmann fractionation of human blood plasma.

We studied the inactivation of the etiologic agent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, human immunodeficiency virus, in the course of the Kistler and Nitschmann cold ethanol fractionation of human blood plasma. By measuring reverse transcriptase activity and viral infectivity, we have shown that the virus load is reduced by a factor of 10(4) during the initial and at least a factor of 10(6) during the subsequent steps of the fractionation procedure. This loss of virus may be observed in the absence or in the presence of antibodies against human immunodeficiency virus and is due to a combination of chemical inactivation, physical partition, and injury caused by repeated freezing and thawing.

Risk factors for AIDS and HIV seropositivity in homosexual men.

The authors compared cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) diagnosed in San Francisco, California, during 1983-1984 with human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) antibody-negative neighborhood and clinic controls, looking for risk factors for clinical AIDS. They also compared antibody-positive with antibody-negative neighborhood and clinic controls for risk factors for HIV infection. Odds ratios were 52.

Detection and titration of neutralizing antibodies to HIV using an inhibition of the cytopathic effect of the virus on MT4 cells.

An assay for determining neutralizing antibodies in sera from individuals infected with HIV was developed. This assay is based on an inhibition of the cytopathic effect observed after HIV superinfection of the HTLV-1-positive cell-line MT4. Only about 10% of asymptomatic seropositive donors exhibit a high titre over 1/500 up to 1/2000 while in 60% of sera, neutralizing antibodies were not detected.

Peripheral blood adherent cells from AIDS patients inhibit normal T-colony growth through decreased expression of interleukin 2-receptors and production of interleukin 2.

Adherent cells display an important accessory role on normal T-cell colony formation. Since the in-vitro proliferation of T colony-forming cells (T-CFC) from AIDS patients is extremely impaired we studied the effect of patients' adherent cells on T-CFC growth. Patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were fractionated on the basis of rosette formation with sheep red blood cells and complement-mediated cytotoxicity with OKT3 monoclonal antibody (E-T3-).

Genetic comparison of LAV-related isolates.

LAV/HTLV-III has been found to be the etiological cause of AIDS. This new human retrovirus has a selective tropism for T lymphocytes of the OKT4/leu 3 subset, in which it induces a cytopathic effect. We have compared Southern blot patterns of integrated proviral DNAs from different individuals at risk or not using a nick-translated LAV probe.

Transmission of lymphadenopathy-associated virus/human T lymphotropic virus type III in sexual partners. Seropositivity does not predict infectivity in all cases.

To investigate transmission of lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV)/human T lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) in long-term sexual partners, and the relationship between lymphadenopathy-associated virus seropositivity and transmission, nine couples (five heterosexual and four homosexual) at increased risk for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) were studied. In two heterosexual couples, transmission of lymphadenopathy-associated virus from a seropositive man at increased risk to his monogamous wife occurred. In one couple, the wife of a man with hemophilia had lymphadenopathy-associated virus antibody and decreased T helper cells; in the other couple, the wife of a bisexual intravenous drug-user had AIDS.

Human alpha- and beta-interferon but not gamma- suppress the in vitro replication of LAV, HTLV-III, and ARV-2.

The effect of human interferons (IFNs) (alpha, beta, and gamma) on the in vitro replication of AIDS viruses (LAV, HTLV-III, and ARV-2) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes was investigated. At the time of peak virus production, IFN-alpha preparations (leukocyte, Namalwa, alpha 1, and alpha 2) at 100 U/ml, suppressed LAV, HTLV-III, and ARV-2 replication as measured by reverse transcriptase (RT) activity by greater than 50%. This suppression was dose dependent and high dosages (500 U/ml) of IFN-alpha resulted in almost complete suppression of RT activities (77-99%).

Western blot technique in the serological evaluation of three LAV/HTLV III-infected Italian families.

In order to confirm suspected LAV/HTLV III infection, serological evaluation of patients is of utmost importance. ELISA is currently being employed on a large scale for screening, but like the immunofluorescence assay, it has a variable rate of possible non-specific positivity. On the other hand, the Western Blot (WB) technique can detect antibodies to different viral proteins.

A monoclonal antibody against LAV gag precursor: use for viral protein analysis and antigenic expression in infected cells.

A murine monoclonal antibody (MAb), named C.V.K.

Genomic variability of selected LAV-related AIDS retroviruses.

All AIDS retroviruses isolated from different patients have shown degrees of heterogeneity as defined by restriction fragment polymorphisms. Despite this variability, all these virus isolates share a number of structural features, including immunological cross-reactivity of virally encoded proteins. In this paper, we compare restriction patterns of integrated proviral DNA from viral isolates of patients belonging to different geographical groups, at risk or not for the disease.

[Infection of insect cell lines by the HIV virus, an agent of AIDS, and a demonstration of insects of African origin infected by this virus].

The etiological agent of AIDS known as HIV has been shown to bind on different insect cell lines including Drosophila, Mosquito, Ceratitis; and his DNA to be integrated in the cellular genome, but no expression of the viral genome was detected in those cells. None of the human lymphocytes markers is expressed at the surface of the insect cells. HIV proviral DNA has been also found in various insects from Central Africa (Zaïre and Central Africa Republic) but not similar insects from the Paris area.

Transient antibody to lymphadenopathy-associated virus/human T-lymphotropic virus type III and T-lymphocyte abnormalities in the wife of a man who developed the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

We present evidence of transmission of lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV)/human T-lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) from a man to his wife, and a return to a normal number of T-helper lymphocytes and loss of antibody after discontinuing sexual exposure to LAV/HTLV-III. The man had hemophilia A, and developed the lymphadenopathy syndrome, antibody to LAV, and a low number of T-helper lymphocytes. His wife, who had no risks for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome other than sexual contact with him, developed LAV antibody (titer, 1:160) and a mildly decreased number of T-helper cells.

Identification and antigenicity of the major envelope glycoprotein of lymphadenopathy-associated virus.

The major envelope glycoprotein of the causative agent of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV) has been identified and characterized. The glycoprotein has an apparent molecular weight of 110,000-120,000 under denaturing conditions in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Upon deglycosylation by a specific endoglycosydase, its size is reduced to 80,000.