Similar Levels of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Replication in Human T(H)1 and T(H)2 Clones

Studies on the development and function of CD4(+) T(H)1 and T(H)2 cells during the progression to AIDS may increase the understanding of AIDS pathogenesis. The preferential replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in either T(H)1 or T(H)2 cells could alter the delicate balance of the immune response. T(H)1 (gamma interferon [IFN-γ] positive, interleukin-4 [IL-4] and IL-5 negative) and T(H)2 (IFN-γ negative, IL-4 and IL-5 positive) clones, developed from several healthy donors, pedigreed by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay have similar levels of cell surface expression of CD4 and several chemokine receptor cofactors necessary for viral entry. After activation by specific antigens and infection with T-cell-tropic strains of HIV type 1 (HIV-1), T(H)1 and T(H)2 clones showed similar levels of viral entry and reverse transcription. At days 3 through 14 postinfection, HIV replicated to similar levels in several T(H)1 and T(H)2 clones as measured by release of HIV p24 and total number of copies of gag RNA/total cell RNA as measured by RT-PCR. When values were normalized for viable cell number in three clones of each type, there was up to twofold more HIV RNA in T(H)1 than T(H)2 cells. In addition, several primary monocytotropic HIV-1 strains were able to replicate to similar levels in T(H)1 and T(H)2 cells. These studies suggest that the importance of T(H)1 and T(H)2 subsets in AIDS pathogenesis transcends clonal differences in their ability to support HIV replication.